Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology was founded in 1925. It has been headed by G.A. Areshyan (1925-1952), B.G. Sayadyan (1952-1953), A.M. Aharonov (1954-1962), B.G. Sayadyan (1963-1970), S.A. Alexanyan (1970-1973), K.B. Akunts (1973-2000), G.A. Beglaryan (2000-2021), A.G. Harutyunyan (2022 – present).

The first and long-term Head of the department was honored scientist, Professor G.H. Areshyan, who was born in 1881 in Aghbulagh village of Tbilisi State. He graduated from the Medical Faculty of Kiev University. In 1919 he was invited to Yerevan where founded the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the municipal hospital №1. In 1932 he founded the Scientific Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Ministry of Health of RA / Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic or Soviet Armenia/. He was engaged in the urgent problems of obstetric-gynecological service organization, mother and child health care and investigated the pathology of female genital organs caused by malaria, its clinical and treatment problems.

More than 20 years, starting from 2000, the department was headed by Ph.D. Professor, Academician of the RA Academy of Medical Sciences, Honored Scholar, professional obstetrician-gynecologist Gagik A. Beglaryan. Having been the chief obstetrician-gynecologist of the Health Ministry of the RA for many years, the famous doctor made an invaluable contribution in the introduction of new methods of diagnosis and treatment of various obstetric-gynecological pathologies in the RA. G. Beglaryan’s scientific activity was mainly devoted to endometrial hyperplasias.

The department has 5 clinical bases: “Beglaryan” Medical Center, “Armenian-American Wellness Center”, “Artmed” Medical Center, “Astghik” Medical Center, and “Erebuni” Medical Center.

The education/study course  composes of cyclic classes including both lectures and practical trainings, educational practice in the field of obstetrics and gynecology in the 4th, 5th and 6th year of faculties of general medicine and military medicine, in the 5th year of faculty of dentistry, as well as in the 3^rd-4^th course of the “Heratsi” college. Classes are held at the five clinical bases of the department, include a theoretical course, work with patients and pregnant women. Teaching is performed in accordance with clinical guidelines based on the  international advanced experience and evidence-based medicine.

During the practical classes the artificial intelligence tool /Dr. Lex/ is also used and the solution of situational problems made up with its help supports to orientate correctly in various clinical situations. All bases of the department are equipped with computer technology, the state-of-the-art equipment, posters and didactic materials.

Obstetrics /physiological obstetrics, the main obstetric pathologies, modern approaches to their diagnosis and treatment, cesarean section are studied in the 4th year of the faculties of general medicine and military medicine. in the 7th semester, the subject is concluded with a computer exam, in the 8th semester with an oral exam. In the 5th year of study, gynecology /research methods, the most common gynecological diseases/is taught. The subject is finalized with a computer-based exam. In the 6th year of the Faculty of General Medicine obstetrics and gynecology /pregnancy and extra-genital pathologies, vaginal delivery operations, neuroendocrine syndromes, oncopathology/ are taught, which is completed with a final three-stage graduation certification/Osce-format practical skills certification, computer and oral exam stages/. Obstetrics and gynecology/the most common pathologies/ are taught to the 5th year students of the Faculty of Dentistry; At the end of the cycle, students take a test.

During the study, students are certified/are examined in practical skills and also attend the simulation center of the university. In the department lectures and practical classes are also held with Russian-speaking and English-speaking students. Educational methodology  manuals and tests have been published for their study, and additional literature in Russian and English languages is available.

Study duration in clinical residency is 4 year. Clinical residents are actively involved in clinical work/activities, perform night shifts, make reports during morning conferences. Through the mediation of Beglaryan medical center, which is the main base of the department, the scientific council of YSMU established a scholarship named after Gagik Beglaryan, which is awarded to one clinical resident with high educational performance, social activity and exemplary behavior in the specialty of “obstetrics and gynecology”.

Within the framework of the continuous professional development program, the department organizes accredited training courses for senior and middle medical staff/ personal from different clinics of the country.

During the first ten years of its activity the scientific research work of the staff was dedicated to the problem of kidney diseases, investigation of the influence of malaria on pregnant women, , trauma during delivery and tumors of female genitals.

During the last decades the scientific topic of the Department has been the “Endometrium Hyperplastic Activities and Precancerous Conditions of Genitals, as well as Obstetric-Gynecological Conceptions of Sexually Transmitted Diseases”.

Current scientific topic of the department is  regional particularities of reproductive systems development among  pubertal age girls”. It’s planned clinical investigation in the field of anti-phospholipids syndromes among pregnants.

The results of scientific researches are regularly introduced during the conferences organized by the department.

During the last 5 years, 7 members of the department have published 13 scientific articles in journals with an impact factor.

Currently, the department staff consists of two professors and 10 MD, Ph.D.

The department, together with the New York Medical University, implements a three-year post-graduate professional training program for the young personnel of the republic in the specialty of uro-gynecology. In addition, the leading specialists of the Bassett Clinic in New York conduct online professional training courses in obstetrics, in which the lecturers of the department also participate.

Almost all professors of the department perform their practice in the field of practical health care and lead the departments of obstetrics and gynecology of the leading medical facilities in Yerevan. According to the arranged schedule, some of them travel to remote regions, conduct professional consultations of the local population, perform complicated surgeries.