Arab Board Ob/Gyn Final Written study guide
Arab Board Ob/Gyn Final Written · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Arab Board of Health Specializations final written examination in obstetrics and gynaecology is the summative knowledge component of board certification for specialists training in Arab countries. It is intended for candidates who have completed the required clinical training in an accredited programme and are moving into independent specialist practice. The Arab Board Ob/Gyn Final Written study guide has 10 sections and about 2,526 words.
01General Obstetrics and Intrapartum Care
Labour assessment begins with the Bishop score - dilatation, effacement, station, consistency and position - and with the modern definitions of active-phase arrest. In a nullipara with ruptured membranes and adequate contractions (generally 200 Montevideo units or more), no cervical change for 6 hours defines arrest; with inadequate contractions, 4 hours of adequate oxytocin-augmented labour is enough before caesarean.
295 words, about 1 min02Maternal-Fetal Medicine and High-Risk Obstetrics
Hypertensive disorders dominate this domain. Distinguish chronic hypertension (before 20 weeks or persisting beyond 12 weeks postpartum), gestational hypertension (new after 20 weeks without proteinuria or organ dysfunction) and pre-eclampsia.
279 words, about 1 min03Gynecologic Oncology
Cervical cancer staging is clinical: FIGO 2018 allows imaging and pathological confirmation, but examination remains central. Stage IB is confined to the cervix, II extends beyond the uterus but not to the pelvic wall or lower third of the vagina, III reaches the pelvic wall or lower vagina or causes hydronephrosis, and IV involves bladder or rectum or distant spread.
250 words, about 1 min04Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Reproductive endocrinology questions usually start with the WHO classification of anovulation: group I is hypothalamic-pituitary failure with low gonadotrophins, group II is normogonadotrophic with polycystic ovary syndrome the commonest cause, and group III is hypergonadotrophic ovarian failure. PCOS is diagnosed by two of three Rotterdam criteria - oligo-ovulation, clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries on ultrasound - after excluding thyroid disease, hyperprolactinaemia and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
236 words, about 1 min05Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery
Pelvic organ prolapse is quantified with the POP-Q system, which uses six points (Aa, Ba, C, D, Bp, Ap) plus genital hiatus, perineal body and total vaginal length. Stage 0 is no prolapse, stage 1 is more than 1 cm above the hymen, stage 2 is between 1 cm above and 1 cm below the hymen, stage 3 is more than 1 cm below the hymen but not completely everted, and stage 4 is complete eversion.
254 words, about 1 min06General Gynecology and Minimally Invasive Surgery
Abnormal uterine bleeding is organised by PALM-COEIN: polyp, adenomyosis, leiomyoma, malignancy and hyperplasia are structural; coagulopathy, ovulatory dysfunction, endometrial, iatrogenic and not-yet-classified are non-structural. Fibroids cause heavy bleeding and bulk symptoms; treatment ranges from tranexamic acid and hormonal therapy to myomectomy, embolisation or hysterectomy.
238 words, about 1 min07Family Planning and Contraception
Contraceptive questions revolve around the WHO Medical Eligibility Criteria, effectiveness and non-contraceptive benefits. Long-acting reversible methods - implants and intrauterine devices - are the most effective reversible options, with typical-use failure rates below 1%.
244 words, about 1 min08Ultrasound, Prenatal Diagnosis, and Genetics
Obstetric ultrasound begins with dating and viability; crown-rump length gives the most accurate dates in the first trimester. First-trimester combined screening uses nuchal translucency, free beta-hCG and PAPP-A at 11 to 13 plus 6 weeks, while cell-free DNA screening has the highest detection for trisomy 21 but remains a screening test and can be uninformative in obesity or multiple pregnancy.
237 words, about 1 min09Critical Care, Emergency Obstetrics, and Anesthesia
Maternal collapse follows an ABCDE approach with left lateral tilt, and in cardiac arrest the uterus is displaced and perimortem caesarean delivery is performed within 4 minutes to improve maternal resuscitation. Massive obstetric haemorrhage requires a coordinated protocol: uterotonics, tranexamic acid, blood products in balanced ratios, correction of hypothermia, acidosis and calcium, and early escalation to balloon tamponade, uterine artery embolisation or hysterectomy.
243 words, about 1 min10Ethics, Professionalism, Research, and Evidence-Based Practice
Ethics questions test the four principles - autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice - applied to consent, capacity, confidentiality and resource allocation. A competent pregnant woman can refuse any intervention, including caesarean delivery, even when the fetus is at risk; assess capacity formally when refusal seems unreasonable.
250 words, about 1 min