Cedars-Sinai's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology offers healthcare services for women at every stage of their lives. From the birth of a child through menopause, from the diagnosis and treatment of cancer to pelvic floor conditions, we offer services using a multidisciplinary team approach. The medical expertise of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is matched by its active research programs. We continually pursue ways to bring new, more effective treatments to our patients. Each of our four departments is described below.

We specialize in treating women going through menopause or who have such conditions as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome. These conditions cause many women to suffer from painful or irregular periods, longer or heavier periods, pelvic pain when they are not having a period or increased and unwanted body hair.

Our reproductive endocrinology physicians offer care through the Center for Reproductive Medicine and conduct research in this ever-growing area of women's health. Their research is defining the causes of and new treatments for these conditions.

We know that pregnancy is an exciting and special time for every woman and her family. More than 7,000 babies are delivered at Cedars-Sinai each year.

Thankfully, most pregnancies progress normally, but when problems arise, our physicians are ready. They are available 24 hours a day to give information, counseling and advice to women and their healthcare providers. Our physicians deal with the full range of issues, including:

• Pre-conception counseling
• Managing medical complications that a mother may have before and during pregnancy
• Counseling about genetic issues related to the mother's age or conditions that run in the families of the mother or father
• Monitoring the developing baby

The Center for Women's Continence and Pelvic Health focuses on disorders of the pelvic floor, including loss of bladder control, loss of bowel control, difficulties in bowel and bladder emptying and loss of support of the pelvic organs (e.g., prolapse, "dropped bladder" or "dropped uterus"). The center delivers high quality diagnostic testing, urodynamics, biofeedback and a wide variety of therapies, including dietary and behavioral modifications, drug therapy, muscle rehabilitation and surgery (when necessary).

Our board-certified gynecologic oncologists are committed to helping women with cancers of the reproductive system live as long as possible with the best quality of life. They evaluate and treat more than 250 invasive gynecologic cancers each year. Our specialists work as a team to give each woman the best cancer care currently available. Our gynecologic oncologists work with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and others to design personalized treatment programs. Every week, physicians, nurses, social workers and home care workers meet to review each patient's needs.

The Cedars-Sinai Outpatient Cancer Center provides care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for both inpatients and outpatients. We offer new and innovative chemotherapy and radiation therapy programs to reduce pain. Eligible patients may also join in clinical trials to study the effects of new drugs and therapies. The National Institutes of Health and drug companies sponsor these trials.

When our patients must stay in the Medical Center, they usually receive care in a unit designed just for women with gynecologic diseases. Nurses in these units have special training, including certification in chemotherapy, surgical and postoperative care and experience caring for gynecologic cancer patients.

The Prenatal Diagnosis Center at Cedars-Sinai provides the latest in prenatal testing, genetic counseling,and high-risk pregnancy consultation. This highly specialized center offers comprehensive prenatal testing services, including:

• Amniocentesis
• Chorionic villi sampling (CVS)
• Ultrasound
• Fetal echocardiography
• Expanded AFP genetic testing
• Atenatal testing
• Cytogenetic Laboratory Services
• Ashkenazi Jewish genetic diseases screening