Gynecology

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Because women's gynecologic health needs change with each stage of life, Merit Health Biloxi's women's services are designed to provide quality, compassionate care from adolescence through menopause. From annual exams and maternity care to treatment for gynecological cancer and urinary incontinence, we offer a range of services from gynecologists and obstetricians. Our care includes:

• Annual pelvic exams and screenings, including Pap tests
• Contraceptive counseling
• Fertility treatment options
• Maternity care
• Urinary incontinence treatment
• Management of menopause symptoms
• Minimally invasive surgical options, including laparoscopic techniques and robotic surgery to treat uterine fibroids, endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome, among other conditions

The women's services doctors include gynecologists, obstetricians, gynecologic oncologists, urologists and reproductive endocrinologists. Doctors work closely with surgeons, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals to deliver care that addresses a range of OB-GYN health concerns.

Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy
Merit Health Biloxi's outpatient surgery department offers a type of minimally-invasive hysterectomy. The procedure, called laparoscopic superacervical hysterectomy (LSH), uses a laparoscope and small surgical instruments inserted through tiny incisions to remove only the top portion of the uterus, while leaving the cervix intact. It can be performed on an outpatient basis, and may offer less pain, scarring and shorter recovery times than the traditional hysterectomy.

More and more physicians are seeing the benefits of offering laparoscopic hysterectomies. The traditional hysterectomy, which still accounts for the majority of cases, requires a four to six inch incision in the woman’s abdomen. The procedure that can now be performed is a significant benefit to the patient including minimal pain, less trauma to the body and a quicker recovery.

The laparoscopic procedure was developed to reduce pain, minimize scarring and shorten recovery time. The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia. A patient can be home within 24 hours and back to normal activities in less than a week. Traditional “open” hysterectomy requires 3 – 6 days in the hospital and up to six weeks of recovery.

The laparoscopic procedure may not be appropriate if a woman has very large or numerous fibroids. In addition, a woman must be willing to continue to have an annual pap smear to screen for cervical cancer.

For more information about this procedure, please call (228) 436-1690.

Permanent Birth Control
Physicians on staff at Merit Health Biloxi are able to perform a nonincisional alternative to tubal ligation. Women deserve the option of permanent birth control without having to undergo abdominal incisions and general anesthesia. With this procedure, disruption in a woman’s life is very marginal. Most patients are back to their usual activities and returned to work within a day or two of having the procedure.

This procedure deploys a soft micro-insert into the fallopian tube through the cervix. Once in place, the device elicits a tissue response, forming a blockage of the fallopian tube, thus preventing pregnancy. It was found in clinical trials to be 99.8 percent effective after two years of follow up.

For more information or for a physician referral, please call (228) 432-1571.