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Why Was Gynecology Invented?

4 mins read

Gynecology is the field of medicine related to women’s health, especially in relation to the female reproductive organs. Gynecology focuses on women’s health and related diseases, while obstetrics focuses on pregnancy care. The two fields are often lumped together or easily confused, but they are two different medical specialties. However, a doctor can specialize in both areas and become an Ob/GYN.

 

While it can sometimes be uncomfortable, gynecology is an important medical profession that provides comprehensive care to women of all ages. Its origins date back thousands of years before it became the modern medical field that it is today.

 

So why was gynecology invented? And what are the benefits of seeing a gynecologist in today’s modern world? Keep reading to learn more about this piece of the history of medicine, how gynecology helps women, and why you should see a gynecologist.

 

The History of Gynecology

The History of Gynecology

The word “Gynecology” comes from Greek origins, meaning “the science of women.” It is said to have been established as a modern field of medicine around 1889. However, evidence of gynecological science can be traced back thousands of years to ancient Egyptancient Greece, and Ayurvedic medicine.

 

While there is a lot of dark history around the origins of American gynecology regarding a man named J. Marion Sims in the 19th century (known as ”the father of modern gynecology” although he performed unethical, experimental surgeries on enslaved Black women) — the modern field of gynecology helps women everywhere.

 

Important Women in the History of Gynecology

Important Women in the History of Gynecology

Despite being a male-dominated field for a long time, several notable women impacted the history of gynecology.

 

For instance, Metrodora was a woman in ancient Greece whose book, “On the Diseases and Cures of Women,” is the oldest known text written by a woman. Her medical writings were used by doctors for centuries, advising them on practices such as performing pelvic exams with a speculum and testing for STIs.

 

Another researcher and writer, Marie Stopes, published an informative resource titled “Wise Parenthood” in 1918. This resource educated women about contraception and fertility and was made widely available and free to the public.

 

And, of course, history cannot ignore the Black women who served as Dr. Sims’ subjects, such as Anarcha Westcott. While the nature of their participation in his medical experiments is unknown, the medical breakthroughs that resulted from their treatments served as essential contributions to medical science.

 

What Are the Benefits of Gynecology?

What Are the Benefits of Gynecology

Gynecologists provide critical, life-saving health care to women of all ages. Gynecology has brought many medical breakthroughs and a better understanding of women’s bodies and health. Inventions such as the speculum help gynecologists examine the internal female anatomy for any concerning abnormalities or health issues.

 

Regular visits to a gynecologist will help you monitor your female health and wellness, better understand your reproductive system, and help you make informed decisions about your body. Building a strong, trusted medical relationship with your gynecologist can help keep you healthy and thriving throughout all stages of your life.

 

What Medical Services Do Gynecologists Provide?

What Medical Services Do Gynecologists Provide

In modern gynecology, gynecologists undergo extensive training in four years of medical school, and then they must also complete a four-year residency program. Gynecologists are board-certified medical practitioners. They provide a wide variety of essential women’s health services, including:

 

  • Cancer screening including for cancers of the cervix, ovaries, uterus, and breast
  • Birth control and contraception
  • Physical examinations, including a pelvic exam
  • Treatment for absent, painful, or heavy menstrual periods and cramps
  • Fertility testing and fertility treatment
  • Family planning assistance
  • Ultrasounds
  • Pap smears
  • Diagnosis and treatment of infection, such as vaginitis
  • STI testing and treatment
  • UTI testing and treatment
  • Incontinence treatment
  • Menopause treatment
  • Prescription of medication
  • Diagnosis and treatment of reproductive disorders, including endometriosis, ovarian cysts, pelvic pain, and more
  • In some cases, on-site surgical treatment includes hysterectomies, tubal ligations, cyst removals, vesicovaginal fistulas, and more.

As you can see, gynecologists provide many essential, beneficial services for women that other doctors cannot. They are specially trained to be experts in the female anatomy and common reproductive health issues that women can experience throughout their lives.

 

When Should You See a Gynecologist?

It is generally recommended that young women around 15 book their first appointment to see a gynecologist. They may wish to start seeing a gynecologist earlier if they are sexually active or experiencing any issues with their hormones or menstrual cycles.

 

It is recommended that women over 21 see a gynecologist every one to two years. It is vital to be screened regularly for STIs, cancer, and other reproductive health issues.

 

As women age, regularly seeing a gynecologist is still essential, as they can help guide you through menopause and other hormonal changes associated with women’s aging.

 

Make an Appointment with a Gynecologist in New York City

At Great City Medical in NYC, we care deeply about providing comprehensive women’s health care and aim to eliminate any disparities in women’s care. Using modern techniques and best practices, Dr. Tsyba offers comprehensive and personalized gynecological care to her patients across NYC.

 

Looking for the best gynecologist in NYC? Call our offices to set up an appointment with our trusted medical professionals and take control of your women’s health and wellness today.

 

Dr. Tsyba is also a certified obstetrician and can provide additional women’s health care for those who are pregnant or planning a family.

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Testimonials

Clean 🧽 and fresh clinicPoliteness of each employee toward each other and respectability for patientsShort and brief application for new patient
Maria M.
Maria M.
22:57 27 Mar 24
Always a good service and kind people over there. I have been going to there for over 5 years and I had good service with good doctors. Thank you for all the staff.
Yaneth P.
Yaneth P.
18:52 27 Mar 24
My first time at this location, availability is always open. Staff and doctor were very pleasant and attentive. Sign- in was quick and easy! If your looking for a gynecologist this is your place.
Jennifer P.
Jennifer P.
15:45 27 Mar 24
A very friendly and attentive staff. Everything was practical and quick. Affordable prices. I’ll definitely be back for more procedures!
Marina P.
Marina P.
15:41 27 Mar 24
Fue un excelente servicio ☺️
Carolina M.
Carolina M.
13:27 26 Mar 24
The staff,Nursees and Doctor is of utmost professional quality and care
Charles J J.
Charles J J.
20:33 25 Mar 24
Today was my first visit to the office. All staff were very pleasant and thoughtful. The level of professionalism is top tier. I feel welcomed and secured in the knowledge given by the physicians. Looking forward to making this my forever gyn office. Definitely different from the rest!
JamilaMoneka
JamilaMoneka
20:09 25 Mar 24
DR.GRANA IS THE BEST
A Luis S.
A Luis S.
18:32 25 Mar 24
The Whole staff were friendly and very helpful, I didn’t have an appointment but they saw me the same day! From the Receptionist, nurses and Doctor… Great Job TEAM!
Raul V.
Raul V.
18:12 25 Mar 24
Muy buenos servicios, tanto en el front desk como en el personal médico . Excelente servicio, mucha amabilidad. 😍🥰
Martha F.
Martha F.
22:18 20 Mar 24
Le doy la Gracias a Dios por a verlo encontrado es la mejor Ginecologa que conozco estoy feliz con ella mi doctora favorita Gracias 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Allalive C.
Allalive C.
17:53 14 Mar 24
Great visit with a great Doctor!She makes time to listen to my concerns and goes even further to answer all of my questions.Overall experience was 10 out of 10!!!
latia H.
latia H.
18:32 13 Mar 24
Everything was great, excellent service
Jose Luis Guerrero G.
Jose Luis Guerrero G.
19:46 06 Mar 24
Great place Dr is very informative and the service is superb they don’t have you waiting for hour’s
Beth H.
Beth H.
23:55 04 Mar 24
Great Doctor and staff
Diana G.
Diana G.
23:15 04 Mar 24
U the best
Tukoy G.
Tukoy G.
17:55 28 Feb 24
Pricing reasonable & appointments quick.
Yolande M.
Yolande M.
22:15 26 Feb 24
It’s good all over and everyone is helpful
Ranjana T.
Ranjana T.
20:01 22 Feb 24
Me encantó la amabilidad d todos muy atentos muchas gracias x todo
Francis F.
Francis F.
20:33 21 Feb 24
I have been through a lot and not been able to care for myself for a while. Today I saw my doctor and was able to get the care started that I need. The staff made me feel human and even moved my appointment up to see me sooner. Great City Medical thank you and God bless you all.
Chele From The Block (.
Chele From The Block (.
17:08 21 Feb 24
Excelente
Dennys O.
Dennys O.
22:25 19 Feb 24
Staffs are awesome, friendly, and calm. Thank you so much!!
Ana B.
Ana B.
15:36 19 Feb 24
Excellent service from the beginning to understand all the process, solve questions and doubts. The CRM is excellent, and the medical exams are really efficient. The doctors and their staff are so kind and professional. I had my first visit on Monday, and on Friday, I got all the results. Excellent service, highly recommended.
Juliana R.
Juliana R.
16:22 16 Feb 24
At first it was hard getting through to Great City by phone. I soon discovered the chat. I was verily informed about everything from the costs right down to the procedure, that being examination for immigration purposes. I was kept up to date by Antony all the way up until it was time to pick up my form. The staff were very friendly as well. I should also mention too that the cost was the most inexpensive out of all the places I checked.
Mitsy D.
Mitsy D.
18:30 15 Feb 24
Escelente
Gilberto P.
Gilberto P.
13:34 15 Feb 24
Excellent service it’s a lot better than what it used to be and I am grateful for that.. doctor is wonderful.. and the PCA’s that work there are the best all of the women are caring and patient.. they make you feel welcomed.. Dr Marly Granna is the best .. you don’t meet doctors like her anymore these days 🙇‍♂️🙏
Thomas R.
Thomas R.
17:10 14 Feb 24
Amazing!!
Taqazua P.
Taqazua P.
00:08 13 Feb 24
Me gustó muy atentos
Irairis M.
Irairis M.
20:29 07 Feb 24
Excellent service and nice personal🤗
Elizabeth B.
Elizabeth B.
16:03 07 Feb 24
Very safe space , quick and give you all the answer’s you need
Diamond F.
Diamond F.
16:28 01 Feb 24
Great place, nice people. Good attitude Very helpful
Elvin A
Elvin A
20:36 31 Jan 24
I like this little clinic a lot! Very friendly stuff, Dr. Grana seems to be a very professional. Been going there for almost a year now. Highly recommend!
Yulya Y.
Yulya Y.
19:35 31 Jan 24
Staff was professional, courteous and informed me of anything along the way. I would definitely go back. I also waited 5 min before being seen on a Monday morning.
Sabrosa V.
Sabrosa V.
22:22 29 Jan 24
Great experience each time I go . Professional clean and very respectful office. Staff always pleasant. Doctors very caring.
Juanita R.
Juanita R.
19:30 24 Jan 24
I am so appreciate Dr. Tsyba and the whole team. You are the best 👌
Alla M.
Alla M.
23:05 22 Jan 24
Las atenciones excelentes, desde informacion y registro, tanto como el personal medico, solo deben mejorar el tiempo de espera para ls citas.
Wanda R.
Wanda R.
00:10 17 Jan 24
Excellent Service
Sathyanarayana Rao Mallur Venkata R.
Sathyanarayana Rao Mallur Venkata R.
01:04 11 Jan 24
From the front desk to the medical assistant, to the lab, and down to the doctor and whoever you passed by, it was excellent customer service. It was topnotch. I think the entire staff took extra customer service classes.
ibro D.
ibro D.
12:52 05 Jan 24
Super mega maravilloso las atenciones
Mildred Yajaira E.
Mildred Yajaira E.
17:22 27 Dec 23
Todos muy amable y comprometido por la salud del paciente .ame este grupo
Veronica R.
Veronica R.
17:56 26 Dec 23
They are very nice and friendly. The appointment didn’t take too long. The only thing I didn’t like is that I’m a transgender woman and all the time they used masculine pronouns which makes me feel uncomfortable. They could just try to be neutral or call me by my name instead.
jose
jose
15:53 22 Dec 23
El trato de todo el personal es excelente
Miosotis M.
Miosotis M.
19:53 20 Dec 23
Great service. The intake with the nurse was pleasant and fun. The time with the doctor was very comfortable, she listened very attentivet all my concerns, she was very gentle and professional.They have late afternoon appointments wich is a plus.The final step was the scheduling of the next appointment wich was fast!My mom was right to recommend her and I recommend them as well.
Juana G.
Juana G.
22:31 19 Dec 23
No long wait times staff is professional and pleasant Doctors are amazing and very knowledgeable
Denise C.
Denise C.
14:43 19 Dec 23
Excelente las atenciones y un personal medico de primera
Carlos F.
Carlos F.
18:11 15 Dec 23
Stagg was friendly doctor listen and communicated clearly….overall good experience
Ayasia K.
Ayasia K.
12:56 12 Dec 23
Everyone was very positive and reassuringly guided us through a rather complicated process. A great shoutout to Patricia for going above and beyond to make everything less stressful for us.
Ntani G.
Ntani G.
12:10 12 Dec 23
I went to have a immigration physical exam. Prior to visit, the chat/email service via their website was clear on my existing vaccinations and what paperwork/proof that would be sufficient. The staff was transparent in the cost and what to expect for the actual physical. The visit went smooth and the waiting time was within 10- minutes. Highly recommended
Jacky H.
Jacky H.
01:07 02 Dec 23
Clean facilitie staff are very professional doctors is awesome he explained everything clearly I understood everything he said to me it was a excellent experience I’ll definitely go back there
Kerry L.
Kerry L.
22:42 01 Dec 23
The experience was great Patricia was so nice dealing with me an my sister an so professional
Kwame L.
Kwame L.
19:29 27 Nov 23
Dr. Tsyba is one of the most greatest GYN there is. I couldn’t ask for a better DR.
Gordiva C.
Gordiva C.
22:54 22 Nov 23
Excelente servicio, la atención al cliente y el seguimiento al paciente muy bueno.
Edwin S.
Edwin S.
20:02 13 Nov 23
It’s always a welcoming experience.
Mr.M A
Mr.M A
22:30 09 Nov 23
Súper confortable and the stuff very sweet and professional!!
Elizabeth C.
Elizabeth C.
10:52 08 Nov 23
From the front deck to the Doctor are very easy to talk to, is a great experience visiting them
Azeez O.
Azeez O.
18:46 07 Nov 23
Fast , professional and great experience. I highly recommend this place for anyone who needs to do immigration medical exam . 10/10
adelina T.
adelina T.
23:36 26 Oct 23
J’ai eu une bonne impression a Harlem Gynecologist, l’accueil au top,le personnel au top,rien a dire
diaby H.
diaby H.
18:28 25 Oct 23
My MD is great! Very attentive to my needs. Great listener and good bedside manner.
Rhonda M.
Rhonda M.
18:06 24 Oct 23
I highly recommend Great Medical!they are amazing.
Julio C.
Julio C.
17:48 20 Oct 23
My first time visiting this practice. They were very through, from intake, which was done by a Dr. that I assumed was a nurse because he was so young lol. I wound up seeing Jaime who is a GYN NP, she was awesome. They asked a lot of questions about my history, which I really appreciated. Labs and Sonogram are done on-site. I will be returning.
Shay S.
Shay S.
01:13 20 Oct 23
The ladies are very polite and the doctors are really nice😊
Sheribel C.
Sheribel C.
19:45 12 Oct 23
I’ve been coming here for years and my doctor shows true concern about all my health issues staff here are also great
Trina M.
Trina M.
17:26 12 Oct 23
They e the best and I lov my dr Grana
jorge B.
jorge B.
16:40 09 Oct 23
I have been there about 5 times and I must say , they are very Professional and friendly. From front desk , nurses and doctors.
Wendy W.
Wendy W.
11:05 06 Oct 23
Patty the sono tech and Dr. Yelena Tsyba are excellent care givers. They were kind courteous and answered all my questions
Elisa T.
Elisa T.
20:55 05 Oct 23
Amazing and fast serviceEveryone is so kind and friendlyThank you
Anastasiia T.
Anastasiia T.
17:33 05 Oct 23
I had a great experience at Great City Medical. My appointment was scheduled right away, the staff is very nice and professional, communication was great and prompt. Highly recommend!
Stephany B.
Stephany B.
00:35 27 Sep 23
Great and fast service.. very friendly doctors and assistants..
Mohammed Y.
Mohammed Y.
19:40 26 Sep 23
Great place and Friendly staff .Dr. Tsyba is awesome
Elizabeth M.
Elizabeth M.
16:54 21 Sep 23
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