Gynecologist and Laparoscopic Surgeon: How My Work Is Divided
I practise in Ahmedabad as an obstetrician, gynecologist and laparoscopic surgeon. My fellowship training is in feto-maternal medicine. My working day is shared between three kinds of care: pregnancies that need closer monitoring, fetal medicine scans (ultrasound or sonography), and keyhole (laparoscopic and hysteroscopic) gynecological operations.
In my experience, a consultation is often easiest to follow when it is drawn. I sketch the anatomy on paper, write the plan out for you and keep time aside for your questions. I consult in Gujarati, Hindi or English, whichever you are most comfortable with.
On the surgical side, I operate only by keyhole methods. Laparoscopy is done through small cuts in the abdomen. It is how I treat fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis and ectopic pregnancy, and how I perform hysterectomy. Hysteroscopy is done through the cervix, with no cut at all. I use it for polyps, adhesions, a septum or fibroids inside the uterine cavity. I do not perform open abdominal surgery. When a woman's condition needs it, I explain why and refer her to a surgeon who does.
Teaching is an important part of my work, and I have presented my work at conferences in India and abroad. I also hold certificates in Fundamental Critical Care Support and in Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (AAFP).
FNB High Risk Pregnancy Fellowship, M.D. and My Other Qualifications
- MBBS
- M.D. in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
- FNB (High Risk Pregnancy & Perinatology) - Fellowship of the National Board.
- NT scan accreditation (Fetal Medicine Foundation, UK).
- Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS).
- Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO, AAFP).
FNB in Medicine: What the Fellowship Covers
FNB stands for Fellowship of the National Board. It is a training fellowship taken after the M.D. The one I hold is in High Risk Pregnancy & Perinatology. That means the care of complicated pregnancies, and of mother and baby in the weeks around birth. The training usually covers medical illness in pregnancy, problems of the placenta and fetal growth, and multiple pregnancy. It also covers ultrasound of the baby and diagnostic procedures such as amniocentesis.
The Fetal Medicine Foundation (UK) accreditation is narrower. It is for measuring the nuchal translucency in the 11–13+6 week scan by a standard method. This matters because the risk figure from first-trimester screening depends on that measurement being taken correctly. FCCS and ALSO are short certificate courses in managing critically ill patients and obstetric emergencies.
Obstetrician and Gynecologist: How My Training and Career Have Progressed
- M.D., Obstetrics & Gynecologymy postgraduate degree in the specialty.
- FNB, High Risk Pregnancy & Perinatologya fellowship of the National Board in the care of complicated pregnancies and the perinatal period.
- Fernandez Hospital, Hyderabadtraining in maternal-fetal medicine, 3D ultrasound and high-risk pregnancy.
- CIMS Hospital, AhmedabadI joined as a consultant obstetrician & gynecologist in 2016.
- Divine Women's Hospital, Gotaconsultant at this NABH-certified women's hospital in Ahmedabad.
Maternal Fetal Medicine: The Part It Plays in My Practice
A fetal medicine doctor looks after the baby as a patient in its own right while it is still in the womb. In practice that means detailed ultrasound. This includes nuchal translucency and level II anomaly scans, serial growth and Doppler studies, and fetal echocardiography. It also means explaining clearly what each finding does and does not mean. When a screening result is raised, the next step may be a diagnostic test such as CVS or amniocentesis. Genetic counselling goes with each step. A smaller part of the work is treatment before birth. One example is a blood transfusion for a baby who has become anaemic. Another is fetal reduction in a pregnancy with three or more babies. In my own practice this sits alongside ordinary obstetric care. So the person who reads your scans also plans your pregnancy and your delivery. The newborn team is told in advance when a baby will need them.
The Clinical Problems I Work With Most
- Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia.
- Medical disorders in pregnancy - APLA, SLE, jaundice and thrombocytopenia.
- Placenta accreta spectrum (morbidly adherent placenta).
- Recurrent pregnancy loss
- Twins, triplets and higher-order pregnancies.
- Fetal echocardiography
- Amniocentesis and CVS
- Fetal reduction and intrauterine blood transfusion.
- Laparoscopic and hysteroscopic gynecological surgery.
Where to Consult Dr. Devang Patel in Ahmedabad
Main OPD: Divine Women's Hospital, Gota – Jagatpur
301 to 305, 3rd Floor, Athena Avenue, near Eulogia Hotel, behind Jaguar Showroom, Gota - Jagatpur, Sarkhej - Gandhinagar Hwy, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481
- NABH-certified women's hospital
- OPD: Monday to Saturday, by appointment
- Labour and emergency care at the hospital: 24 × 7
Marengo CIMS Hospital, Sola, Ahmedabad
- Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
