Overview

Overview

From being a mom, to becoming a nana, and every life-changing event in between, Cleveland Clinic Akron General's Ob/Gyn & Women's Health Services is here for you, specializing in compassionate and comprehensive care. We strive to work collaboratively with patients and their families to outline the best course of care for women in any stage of their life, from routine screenings and pregnancy care, to menopause management and beyond.

Akron General is also dedicated to helping women improve their health, regardless of income. Through the Women’s Health Clinic located at Akron General’s Akron Health Center, women can access low-cost obstetric and gynecological services, such as general check-ups, testing referrals, family planning and obstetric and gynecologic care as covered by Medicare and Medicaid or through self-payment.

Ready to start a family or expecting?

Akron General’s Ob/Gyn & Women’s Health team is here for you. Learn more.

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Download any of our free treatment guides:
Services

Services

Choosing a healthcare provider, especially one dedicated to women’s health, is an important decision for you and your family. Our caring team of physicians, nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives focus on prevention and wellness.

Providing compassionate care, we specialize in treating a wide variety of women’s health issues, including:

Gynecology

Well-Woman Visit

The well-woman exam is an essential part of a woman’s preventive health maintenance as it provides the opportunity to discuss health promotion and disease prevention, recognize individualized risk factors for disease and identify medical conditions.

According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the first visit to an obstetrician-gynecologist should take place between the ages of 13 and 15 years so that screening, preventive services and age-appropriate education and counseling may be initiated.

Well-woman visits that include an internal pelvic and speculum examination should begin at age 21 and continue annually until age 65. Prior to 21, internal pelvic examinations are only necessary if a woman has risk factors.

At your appointment, your provider will:

  • Complete a comprehensive health assessment, including medical, surgical, gynecologic and family history.
  • Review current symptoms, complaints and questions.
  • Obtain vital signs and calculate body mass index (BMI).
  • Complete a physical examination (which may include clinical breast, speculum and internal pelvic examinations).
  • Make recommendations for screenings and immunizations.
  • Provide counseling and education regarding healthy lifestyle choices.

Surgical Services

Akron General Obstetrics & Gynecology is pleased to be part of a comprehensive health system, which includes access to a multi-specialty team of surgeons dedicated to women’s health needs.

Our providers specialize in providing minimally invasive and robotic options that can reduce pain and scarring, while shortening recovery time, including single-port robotic surgery. Based on your condition, your provider will recommend the most appropriate treatment option, which may include surgery if necessary. Some of the most common surgical procedures address:

As your partner in care, our providers will walk you through every step of the process should you need surgery, from pre-surgical testing and prep to the recovery process and beyond.

Obstetrics

Pre-Pregnancy Care

If you are planning to become pregnant, it is important to begin thinking about your health before you conceive. Studies show that a woman’s health prior to pregnancy can influence both her ability to conceive and her ability to carry a baby healthily to her due date. The 6-12 months prior to conception are an ideal time to schedule a pre-pregnancy, or pre-conception, counseling appointment with your obstetrician-gynecologist.

Pregnancy Care

Our team of providers is made up of board certified obstetrician/gynecologists who care for both normal and high-risk pregnancies and advanced practice nurses who care for normal pregnancies. Working together, we focus on preventing health complications, managing health conditions, helping you to stay well and providing education throughout your pregnancy. Our providers deliver babies at Akron General’s New Life Center.

Your prenatal care should begin early in your pregnancy and continue regularly until you deliver. As long as you know the date of your last menstrual cycle and are having no health or pregnancy problems, we generally recommend that you first visit our office when you are around eight weeks pregnant. You will have a monthly prenatal visit until the end of your second trimester (28 weeks of pregnancy). Then as delivery approaches, you will begin more frequent prenatal visits so we can closely monitor your and your baby’s health.

Postpartum Care

The postpartum checkup is an important time for your provider to assess your health and how you are adapting to motherhood. If you delivered your baby vaginally and are not experiencing complications, you should be seen six weeks after delivery. If you delivered your baby by cesarean section, you should be seen two weeks after delivery and again six weeks after delivery.

Midwifery Services

Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are licensed, independent healthcare providers who provide personalized, compassionate and comprehensive gynecological care and family planning services.

CNMs work to support and educate women through all phases of life, including low-risk prenatal care and delivery. They view pregnancy as a normal life process instead of an abnormal medical condition, and support all types of births – whether it’s a non-medicated delivery, or one with anesthesia and epidurals.

Evidence shows that the use of minimal interventions and supportive care reduces the need for operative interventions, such as episiotomy or cesarean births. However, midwives are able to use medical interventions when needed, and will consult or refer to doctors when high-risk conditions develop.

Akron General CNMs are educated in nursing and midwifery and maintain their license as a Registered Nurse (RN) through the state, as well as pass the national examination for midwifery certification. They work together with qualified physicians in a group practice, Akron General Obstetrics and Gynecology, and provide birthing services at Akron General’s New Life Center.

Contraception

If you are interested in delaying pregnancy until the time is right for you, many contraceptive options exist, including hormonal and non-hormonal methods. Hormonal methods range from an oral pill that is taken each day to long-acting, reversible methods. Non-hormonal options include natural family planning, the use of spermicide and barrier methods. If your childbearing is complete, permanent sterilization options can also be discussed.

Infertility

Infertility is the lack of conception after at least one year of unprotected, regular and frequent intercourse. A couple’s infertility may stem from one factor or a combination. Thankfully, there are several sophisticated methods for diagnosing and treating infertility. Many couples first seek care for infertility in an OB/GYN setting. Here at Akron General, we are sensitive to the physical, emotional, spiritual and financial impact that infertility may have on a couple.

If you’re struggling with infertility and need a team of specialists to provide you with guidance and options, care is now available at Cleveland Clinic Akron General Health & Wellness Center, Bath, location.

  • Learn more.
  • Appointments for women, call 216.839.3150, option 8.
  • Appointments for men, call 330.535.4428.
Our Team

Our Team

Appointments

Appointments

Mammography

View our mammography locations and appointment information.

Maternity Services - Labor & Delivery

Cleveland Clinic Akron General
1 Akron General Ave.
Akron, OH 44307
330.344.6868

Obstetrics & Gynecology

To make an appointment at any of these five locations, call 330.344.8565.

To make an appointment at the following location, call 330.344.6800.

Gynecologic Oncology

Gynecologic Oncology

The possibility or diagnosis of cancer is life-changing. Cleveland Clinic Akron General’s Gynecologic Oncology team specializes in providing compassionate cancer care that is grounded in clinical excellence. We take the time to listen and work collaboratively with patients and their families to outline a comprehensive treatment plan. We provide compassionate care for:

Our Providers

Our physicians are fellowship-trained gynecologic oncologists who provide personalized and compassionate care for a wide variety of gynecologic health needs. A gynecologic oncologist is a physician who is first trained in obstetrics and gynecology and then has three to four additional years of training in gynecologic cancer. These specialists combine their knowledge of gynecology with their expertise in detecting and treating cancers of the female reproductive system.

Additionally, our physicians specialize in minimally invasive and robotic surgery. The work closely with patients and a team of supporting physicians, including pathologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Together, they provide a careful blend of accurate diagnosis, surgical skill, leading-edge radiation therapy, advanced chemotherapy and compassionate care.

Our Practice

Akron General Physician Office Building
224 W. Exchange St.
Suite 420
Akron, OH 44302

New patients and referrals welcome. Please call 330.344.6041 to schedule an appointment.

Gynecologic Surgery

Gynecologic Surgery

Women with special gynecologic issues choose Cleveland Clinic Akron General and The Surgery Center at Akron General Health & Wellness for our range of treatment options that are less invasive and promote a quicker recovery time. Some of our gynecologic surgical procedures include thermal endometrial ablation, to decrease menstrual bleeding and laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy, a less invasive procedure that reduces pain, recovery time and scaring.

Robotic surgery and single-incision surgery for gynecologic procedures

Akron General offers minimally invasive gynecologic surgery using the state-of-the-art da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System and single-incision or single-port surgery. Not all procedures are appropriate for robotic or single-incision surgery.

PATH Center

PATH Center

Providing Access to Healing

Cleveland Clinic Akron General offers the PATH (Providing Access To Healing) Center to provide quality, trauma-informed, compassionate care to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, elder abuse and neglect for Summit and surrounding counties, while also ensuring quality of evidence collection. The PATH Center is staffed by professionals trained in the systematic collection of evidence in an atmosphere of support and compassion.

The PATH Center, developed in conjunction with Akron General’s OB/GYN and Emergency Medicine Departments, uses a recognized standard of care for addressing these victims as set forth in the SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Program.

How to Access Services

Any victim age 14 or older can access PATH Center services at Akron General. Individuals are examined in our downtown Akron Emergency Department, however, people who are current patients dealing with a prior sexual assault, as well as current or previous domestic violence, elder abuse and neglect, may benefit from PATH Center services at Akron General and our community partners.

If you need immediate assistance or care following an assault, please call 911 or the Akron General Emergency Department at 330.344.6611. If you would like more information about our PATH Center, please call 330.344.1148.

Important Referral Information

Rape Crisis Center Medina/Summit County
330.434.7273

Townhall II Portage County
330.678.4357

Victim Assistance
330.376.0040

Health Department
330.375.2510

Battered Women’s Shelter
330.374.1111

Ohio VINE Services
1.800.770.0192

Axess Point Women’s Health Center
330.564.8660

Axess Point Community Health Center
330.724.5471

Center for Family Medicine
330.344.6047

Grants & Funding Sources

Grants & Funding Sources The Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA), Akron General Women’s Board, Ohio Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFE) Program. You can also make a difference in the lives of local victims. You can make a gift to help continue the care and support.

About SANE Examiners

This certification requires rigorous training and ongoing monitoring to ensure the appropriate care and proper evidence collection for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. SANE examiners are also educated on the judicial aspects of sexual assault, and may be called upon to actively participate in the criminal trials against the perpetrators.

As a Cleveland Clinic hospital, Akron General’s PATH Center serves as the Clinic’s southern SANE program location, with Hillcrest Hospital servicing the east side and Fairview Hospital servicing the west side.

Community Partnerships

Akron General works in conjunction with the Rape Crisis Center (RCC) of Summit and Medina Counties. Other partners include the Summit County Prosecutor's Office, Akron Police Department Crimes Against Persons Bureau, Barberton Police Department, State Representative Greta Johnson, Stow Police Department, Battered Women's Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties, Victim Assistance Program, and Summit County Court of Common Pleas Judge Amy Corrigall Jones.