Obstetrics and gynecology deals with disorders of a woman’s reproductive system. An obstetrician/gynecologist is sometimes a primary physician for women. The gynecologist treats women and their reproductive systems, but is also concerned with women’s menstrual problems, disorders of pelvic organs, infertility, or cancer of the reproductive organs. Some tests a gynecologist will order or administer are blood tests, a vaginal swab, or X-rays or ultrasound of the pelvic region. An obstetrician can be a gynecologist, and the two practices are closely related.

The obstetrician deals with problems of the woman and fetus during pregnancy and childbirth, and can act as a consultant to other physicians regarding the care of a patient. An obstetrician will see a pregnant woman regularly to check on her health and progress of her pregnancy. Risk factors in a pregnancy include the mother’s diabetes, a previous pregnancy complication, high blood pressure, or heart disease, and will require an obstetrician to check on a woman’s condition more often.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Iowa has 287 practicing obstetricians & gynecologists. Broken out by city, obstetrics & gynecology doctor density in Albia is 1, in Algona is 1, in Ames is 8, in Anamosa is 3, in Ankeny is 12, in Atlantic is 4, in Bancroft is 1, in Bedford is 1, in Bettendorf is 12, in Boone is 2, in Breda is 1, in Carroll is 1, in Cedar Falls is 7, in Cedar Rapids is 21, in Centerville is 2, in Clarion is 1, in Clinton is 10, in Clive is 7, in Coon Rapids is 1, in Coralville is 5, in Corning is 1, in Council Bluffs is 9, in Creston is 1, in Davenport is 19, in De Witt is 1, in Des Moines is 48, in Dubuque is 14, in Estherville is 1, in Fairfield is 2, in Fort Dodge is 4, in Fort Madison is 7, in Glenwood is 1, in Grundy Center is 2, in Guthrie Center is 1, in Hamburg is 2, in Harlan is 1, in Huntington is 1, in Independence is 1, in Indianola is 4, in Iowa City is 52, in Keokuk is 3, in Knoxville is 2, in Manning is 3, in Maquoketa is 1, in Marengo is 1, in Marshalltown is 5, in Mason City is 9, in Missouri Valley is 1, in Mount Pleasant is 1, in Muscatine is 6, in Newton is 2, in North Liberty is 2, in Onawa is 1, in Oskaloosa is 2, in Ottumwa is 8, in Pella is 3, in Perry is 1, in Red Oak is 4, in Shenandoah is 5, in Sioux Center is 2, in Sioux City is 12, in Spencer is 2, in Storm Lake is 1, in Sumner is 3, in Toledo is 1, in Urbandale is 2, in Wall Lake is 1, in Washington is 3, in Waterloo is 17, in Waverly is 2, in Webster City is 1, in West Burlington is 5, in West Des Moines is 37, and in Windsor Heights is 3.

Iowa’s capital is Des Moines, home to Drake University. Iowa achieved Statehood 1846, and the state’s population is now 2,996,334. The Mississippi river borders the state on the east, and a majority of the state’s economic output is agricultural. Many cultural and entertainment opportunities exist for visitors to the “quad cities” of Davenport and Bettendorf, IA, and Rock Island and Moline, IL. Numerous museums, arts, music and sports events are available in Iowa, including the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, the Amana Colonies, and the Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead. Famous people born in Iowa: Buffalo Bill, entertainers Johnny Carson and John Wayne, and former president Herbert Hoover.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Iowa has a population of 2,966,334. Of this population, 656,031 are under the age of 18 and 434,196 are at or above the age of 65.