Your trusted partner for women's health.
From early adulthood to menopause and beyond, women benefit from personalized healthcare at every stage of life. Our OB/GYN Clinic takes time to understand your needs, bringing you trustworthy care close to home.
Obstetricians (OB) specialize in supporting women during prenatal, birth, and postpartum. Gynecologists (GYN) are surgeons who focus on the female reproductive system.
Dr. James Hinshaw offers a wide range of expert OB/GYN clinical care and procedures that include minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 507-831-3345. Self-referrals are welcome!
When is OB/GYN care right for me?
OB/GYN care is relevant for navigating all kinds of women's health needs, from a first period to pregnancy and menopause.
The OB/GYN Clinic could especially be right for you if you have experienced urinary incontinence and/or pelvic prolapse, infertility, abnormal menstrual bleeding, repeat miscarriage, or chronic pelvic pain.
Our OB/GYN clinic works closely with your primary care provider to determine what care is best for you. Windom Area Health also offers a variety of interventions, screenings, tests, and services to assist in the diagnostics and treatment of OB/GYN care.
Services Offered
- Routine exams
- Pap smears & pelvic exams
- Perinatal care & C-section
- Urinary incontinence assessment & repair
- Gynecologic disorder treatments
- Diagnostic & operative laparoscopy
- Minimally-invasive, robotic-assisted surgeries including hysteroscopy, hysterectomy, salpingectomy & utero-vaginal prolapse repair
Surgical Procedures
C-Sections
Even for a planned vaginal birth, a c-section may be necessary. Labor that isn’t progressing, health concerns for the mother or baby, birth of multiple babies, a breech or transverse position, or a previous c-section or uterine surgery may result in a Cesarean delivery.
Your doctor will discuss the procedure with you before your due date. If you do have a c-section, your healthcare provider will see you for ongoing care in the weeks and months after delivery.
Incontinence Repair
If you have accidental loss or leaking of urine, your doctor can help you explore non-surgical treatment options and determine if surgical repair is necessary to resolve this issue.
The most common surgical treatment is the sling procedure, where urinary incontinence is resolved by inserting a synthetic mesh sling to help support your urethra and keep it closed, especially when you cough or sneeze.
Diagnostic Laparoscopy
If you experience pain and discomfort in your abdominal area, especially if there are signs of a potential growth with unclear x-ray, ultrasound, or other test results, your doctor may perform a diagnostic laparoscopy. This procedure may also be performed after an accident to check for injury to abdominal organs or before cancer treatment.
Small cuts in the abdomen are made and the laparoscope is inserted. General anesthesia is required, and most patients can return to normal activities a week after surgery. Your doctor will talk with you about this procedure if it is right for you.
Hysteroscopy
A hysteroscope is a thin device (similar to a telescope) that your doctor can insert through your vagina into your uterus. Images of your uterus are visible on a screen so that your doctor can diagnose or treat problems, including understanding the cause of repeat miscarriage, removing adhesions, locating an IUD, or to perform sterilization.
A hysteroscopy is an outpatient procedure that may require anesthesia. You should recover quickly, but may experience some discomfort or bloody discharge after the procedure.
Hysterectomy
A wide variety of conditions can affect your reproductive system, including fibroids and endometriosis, resulting in irregular, heavy vaginal bleeding, and/or chronic pelvic pain. Women experiencing these conditions are often treated with a hysterectomy, or the removal of the uterus.
A traditional hysterectomy requires a large incision below the navel. Windom Area Health offers a state-of-the-art, less invasive procedure called the da Vinci Hysterectomy, resulting in significantly less pain and discomfort, small incisions for faster recovery and minimal scarring, less blood loss, a shorter post-surgery hospital stay, and better outcomes and patient satisfaction. Your doctor will help you determine which procedure is the best fit for you.
Salpingectomy
If you are experiencing an ectopic pregnancy or want permanent & non-reversible birth control sterilization, you may be treated with a salpingectomy where one or both fallopian tubes are removed. After a bilateral salpingectomy, pregnancy is still possible through IVF if you have a uterus and wish to become pregnant.
Recovery for a laparoscopic salpingectomy takes approximately 14 days, while recovery from an abdominal operation takes four to six weeks. Your doctor can help you determine what type of surgery is best for you.
Utero-Vaginal Prolapse Repair
Utero-vaginal prolapse occurs when muscles and tissue no longer support the organs in your pelvis, causing them to drop. You may experience difficulty completely emptying your bladder, a feeling of fullness in your pelvis, lower back pain, difficulty inserting tampons or applicators, or organs bulging out of your vagina.
There are non-surgical options to treat prolapse, but this condition may require surgery. Your doctor can help you explore a variety of non-surgical and surgical options.