Obstetrics
The primary orientation of our practice is the reproductive health of our patients. As Obstetricians, we are concerned with the overall health of our clients including their concerns for family planning and preconception counseling. We look upon pregnancy as one of the most important endeavors that a woman can take on in her lifetime, and we seek to support her as best we can during this joyful time in her life. For the most part, pregnancy is a normal process in which we can be partners, offering advice and information but monitoring progress with a hands off approach. It is our privilege and pleasure to participate in the joyous occasion of a birth. Our philosophy is to view all of the components as being a natural process which does not require our intervention except when a specific need arises. If there is such an occurrence, it is our duty to discuss and to educate the family when there is a need for decisions to be made. The hospital in which we provide care offers a full ob anesthesia service, including epidural anesthesia. We perform Cesarean sections in our own operating room on the maternity unit.

We have been providing supervision and back-up services to certified nurse midwives for more than twenty years. We have done so out of respect to this special, natural process, and because we have felt that women in our community should have a full choice of obstetrical services available. At the other end of the spectrum, our training allows us to manage most high risk pregnancies, and with the support of our neonatal unit, we can take care of most complications here in Chico. However, when necessary, we can transfer our patients to Sacramento for the availability of a neonatal intensive care unit. We work within a network of perinatology and genetic counseling specialists and referral for unusual problems can be readily done.

Gynecology
Throughout their lives, women need gender specific medical care. Although we are Board Certified specialists, much of what we do involves delivering primary care to women throughout their lifetime. We typically begin providing care for females as they enter puberty and help them address such problems as menstrual dysfunction, menstrual irregularity, and painful cycles. As they become sexually active, we are there to provide counseling for contraception needs and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases as well as providing necessary treatment. Should infertility become an issue along with associated problems such as endometriosis or hormonal imbalance we are able to offer our experience in working through these difficulties. When women enter the perimenopausal time, their needs change. We are all well experienced in hormonal adjustment and hormone replacement therapy and can help our patients with difficulties at this time and on into the menopause, making customized choices for individuals and their unique requirements. As always, preventative care is an integral part of what we offer, including screening for diseases as appropriate including screening for and treating osteoporosis.

In the office, we offer the full spectrum of services and gynecologic testing. We perform our own ultrasounds, evaluation and treatment of abnormal Pap smears (including colposcopy, cryotherapy, and LEEP treatment), and diagnostic hysteroscopy. Fertility services include advanced management of ovulation dysfunction, sperm washing preparation, and intrauterine insemination.
We offer up to date hospital-based gynecologic services, many of which can be done on an outpatient basis including the laparoscopic tubal ligation and Essure intra-tubal placement sterilization procedures. At Enloe Hospital or the Enloe Outpatient Center we can also perform the more complex operative laparascopy and operative hysteroscopy procedures including endometrial ablation. We have full admitting privileges to Enloe Hospital and perform all of the major gynecologic surgeries including hysterectomy, ovarian cystectomy, myomectomy, and vaginal surgery. We provide backup services to the Emergency Room and are available for emergency hospital admissions such as for tubal pregnancies and miscarriages.

Two of us are graduates of the residency training program at U.C. Davis with whom we maintain a good relationship. If a university based specialist is required for consultation or referral, we have an open line of communication to expedite a smooth transition of care.