Healthcare Insights
Top 10 OB/GYN procedures
According to the latest census data, women make up slightly more than half of the U.S. population.
Anyone with female reproductive organs will typically see a gynecologist starting in their late teens to early 20s for annual woman wellness exams to address any issues related to women’s health and the female reproductive system.
What does OB/GYN stand for?
OB/GYN encompasses two specialties: obstetrics and gynecology.
Obstetricians are providers who specialize in pregnancy, from prenatal care to post-natal care. Gynecologists specialize in the female reproductive system.
Many providers specialize in both obstetrics and gynecology. These providers are frequently referred to as OB/GYNs. OB/GYNs can provide more comprehensive care to patients as they oversee care when a patient is pregnant and not pregnant. Some OB/GYNs may also serve as primary care providers, especially for female patients.
If you’re selling into the obstetrics and gynecology space, or to providers more broadly, understanding high-volume procedures can help you tailor your marketing outreach and identify potential growth opportunities.
Using procedure claims data from the Atlas All-Payor Claims Dataset, we’ve ranked the top procedures performed by gynecologists and OB/GYNs.
| Rank | HCPCS/CPT code | Description | % total procedures | % total charges | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 99213 | Office/outpatient visit for evaluation and management of an established patient, low decision- making, 20-29 minutes | 6.71% | 3.27% | Explore |
| 2 | 99214 | Office/outpatient visit for evaluation and management of an established patient, moderate decision- making, 30-39 minutes | 3.16% | 2.26% | Explore |
| 3 | 36415 | Collection of venous blood by venipuncture | 2.63% | 0.16% | Explore |
| 4 | 99396 | Periodic comprehensive preventive medicine reevaluation and management for established patient, age 40-64 | 2.37% | 1.79% | Explore |
| 5 | 76816 | Ultrasound, pregnant uterus, real time with image documentation, follow-up, transabdominal approach, per fetus | 2.27% | 2.46% | Explore |
| 6 | 81025 | Urine pregnancy test, by visual color comparison methods | 2.10% | 0.21% | Explore |
| 7 | 81002 | Urinalysis, by dip stick or tablet reagent for bilirubin, glucose, hemoglobin, ketones, leukocytes, nitrite, pH, protein, specific gravity, urobilinogen, non-automated, without microscopy | 1.98% | 0.09% | Explore |
| 8 | 59025 | Fetal non-stress test | 1.79% | 1.63% | Explore |
| 9 | 76830 | Ultrasound, transvaginal | 1.76% | 1.90% | Explore |
| 10 | 99395 | Periodic comprehensive preventive medicine reevaluation and management for established patient, age 18-39 | 1.74% | 1.22% | Explore |
Fig. 1 Analysis of data from the Atlas All-Payor Dataset. Procedure claims data is for providers within the primary specialty group of obstetrics/gynecology in 2023. Claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States and updated monthly. Data accessed October 2024.
What are the most common OB/GYN procedures?
The top 10 procedures can be classified into three main categories: office visits for evaluation and preventative services, diagnostic pregnancy procedures and general diagnostic procedures.
Office visits for evaluation and management of established patients (CPT codes 99213 and 99214) and annual comprehensive preventive visits (CPT codes 99396 and 99395) are two of the most common types of procedures performed by OB/GYNs. The codes that fall under those buckets account for nearly 14% of all OB/GYN procedures overall and more than a quarter of those in the top 10.
We also see multiple codes related to diagnostic pregnancy procedures, including ultrasound for pregnant uterus (CPT code 76816), urine pregnancy test (CPT code 81025) and fetal non-stress test (CPT 59025). All three procedures are routine procedures for pregnant people to confirm the pregnancy and monitor the health of the parent and fetus.
Rounding out the top 10 most common procedures are more general diagnostic procedures that aid in treating patients. Venipuncture (CPT code 36415), commonly known as a blood draw, is the second most common procedure performed by OB/GYNs. Blood draws can aid with diagnosing a wide range of conditions and confirm a person is pregnant. Urinalysis by dipstick (CPT code 81002) and ultrasound transvaginal for non-obstetrical purposes (CPT code: 76830) are two additional diagnostic procedures that aid OB/GYNs in treating patients.
Can OB/GYNs perform surgery?
While not all OB/GYNs perform surgery as part of their regular practice, OB/GYNs are generally trained to perform some surgery as part of their medical education.
Most OB/GYN surgical procedures are minimally invasive and are usually limited to the pelvic region. In the U.S., OB/GYNs are not required to participate in general surgery rotations during medical school.
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