Hospitals, clinics and private practices all need to find quality, yet affordable OB GYN instruments. There are many instruments used in gynecology and obstetrics. Most OB GYN medical equipment is made from stainless steel. These instruments are cost-effective because they can be reused with proper sterilization techniques. Disposable equipment is usually required as well, but is affordable when purchased wholesale or in bulk.

Medical professionals need to choose gynecological equipment that fits their specialty. Most clinics and private practices will not need to have OB GYN surgical instruments on hand, but hospitals will. The pricing and costs of gynecological and obstetrical instruments depend on many factors, including:

1. Whether the instruments are disposable or reusable.

2. The frequency of procedures that utilize a specific piece of equipment.

3. The materials instruments are made from.

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Buy disposable gynecology equipment for all types of procedures

Every medical facility that provides gynecological and obstetrical services needs some types of disposable equipment, including gloves, drape sheets, sterile gauze sponges and disposable masks. Many of these products come boxes of 20 to 50 items. Gauze, tape, and sterile sponges cost $3 to $5 per box. Gloves and surgical masks can cost up to $12 per box.

I recommend: Sentry Stainless offers many types of disposable gynecological and surgical disposables including drape sheets, gloves and gauze. The Mark-Costello Co. offers a buying guide on how to choose what type of medical waste and sterilization equipment your business needs.

Get stainless steel gynecological instruments

Stainless steel gynecological instruments are a good investment for smaller clinics and private practices because the can be reused with proper sterilization methods. This type of equipment can includes speculums, punches and foreceps. Smaller instruments such as forceps and scissors can cost up to $75, while speculums cost upwards of $400. Smaller instruments, such as forceps and scissors, can cost upwards of $100. Sterilization can be done by a service, or a clinic can purchase an autoclave for about $500 new.

I recommend: MedicalMailOrder.com provides many stainless steel gynecology instruments for a variety of procedures. The University of Washington offers tips on sterilizing equipment.

Find gynecological surgical instruments for special procedures

More expensive medical equipment may be necessary if your clinic or hospital performs specialty procedures that include childbirth, biopsies, and gynecological surgeries. Many of these instruments are also stainless steel and can be sterilized in an autoclave and resused. Some are only made for one-time use. The single used instruments cost under $100, while specialty tools can cost $100 and $400.

I recommend: SurgicalToolbox.com provides gynecological equipment for many specialty procedures including hysterectomy equipment, cervical biopsy equipment, obstetrical retractors and curettes. Medical Supplies and Equipment Company offers information on using an autoclave to sterilize surgical equipment, specifically instruments for gynecology and obstetrics.

You can easily and securely order quality gynecological and obstetrical instruments to suit your practice's need. From forceps to speculums, clamps and more, you can find and purchase the right ob gyn instruments for you.

Whether you are delivering a baby, scraping for an annual exam, or treating a patient with a gynecological condition, having the right tools and ob gyn instruments quickly at your fingertips will help keep your practice in business.

When looking to place your next obstetrics and gynecology equipment order:

1. Take a current inventory and determine how many of each piece of ob and gynecological equipment that you need.

2. Speak to your supplier about quantity discounts if you plan to make a large purchase of single items or different quantities of multiple items.

3. Make sure that your supplier offers a quality guarantee, and inspect all equipment immediately upon arrival.

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Purchase your gynecology equipment

Gynecology equipment can be easily found and purchased for your practice.

I recommend: Purchase a wide variety of gynecologic instruments from Global Merchandise MART. Find gynecological instruments as well as obstetrics instruments from surgicaltools.com. Millennium Surgical can help you compare and reduce cost if you already use any of the following brands: Circon/ACMI, R. Wolf, Miltex, K. Storz, Premier, Sklar, Zinnanti Surgical, Euromed, BEI or Cooper. Find even more gynecological equipment from Fine Surgical Instruments.

Look for other gynecological and obstetrical instruments

You can find other gynecological and obstetrical instruments and equipment for your obstetrics practice.

I recommend: Find new fetal monitors from Foremost Equipment. Find obstetrics instruments from Medword Medical Sales. Find forceps, obstetrical retractors and more from Medical-Tools. Arista Surgical is another source for ob gyn medical equipment.

Consider a general medical supplier for more generic ob gyn instruments needs

You can also go with a general medical supplier for some of your more generic surgical and ob gyn instruments needs such as scalpels and forceps.

I recommend: Mohawk Medical Mall sells discount surgical instruments, and they are a Miltex authorized dealer. Find general equipment for both your office and your surgeries from Atlantic Medical Supply. Find everything from forceps to clamps to scissors and more from Bio-Bridge Science. Stryker is another leading surgical instrument provider. They look to improve your technique as well as efficiency in addition to reducing trauma.

Purchase an autoclave to clean your ob gyn instruments

Buy an autoclave to help keep your ob gyn instruments clean and sanitary.

I recommend: You can find new and refurbished autoclaves from Future Health Concepts. Find a wide variety of sterilization equipment from Med1Online.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you already use an existing brand of ob gyn instruments, consider seeing if another vendor will not only price-match but quote you a lower price.

Gynecology equipment is as varied as the procedures that are performed in a practice on any given day. Equipment for regular exams and specialized procedures must all be purchased, in addition to equipment for sterilizing the instruments that are reusable.

Purchasing gynecological and obstetrical instruments types and styles enables you to accommodate the needs of any patient without having to wait on supplies to arrive for the procedure. Keep the following suggestions in mind to help you make your purchases:

1. Help avoid patient to patient contamination by using disposable gynecology equipment.

2. Consider reusable gynecology instruments for lengthy or difficult procedures.

3. Be prepared to perform any procedure with specialized equipment.

4. Keep reusable equipment clean and sterile.

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Minimize contamination with disposable gynecological equipment

Because of the risk of diseases and germs spreading from one patient to the next, using disposable gynecological equipment is encouraged by the CDC. Disposable gynecology medical instruments include specula, specula sheaths, lubricants, gloves and specialized equipment.

I recommend: GYN Disposables sells single use OB GYN instruments. This company offers online discounts and a 30-day term cycle on all invoices. You can find vaginal specula at eGeneralMedical.com. This company offers numerous disposables, including speculum sheaths and lubricants.

Consider reusable gynecologic instruments

Stainless steel gynecologic instruments are heavier and more sturdy than disposable values. For some procedures, including lengthy vaginal procedures, these instruments are a more appropriate option than disposable instruments.

I recommend: MedicalMailOrder.com sells stainless steel gynecology equipment. If your order meets minimum purchase requirements, it may be eligible for free shipping. MEDEXSupply offers stainless steel gynecological instruments. This company has a volume discount program and it offers fast shipping.

Keep specialized gynecologic instruments on hand

Certain procedures, including tubal ligation and artificial insemination require specialized equipment. Keeping a good stock of these instruments, such as uterine manipulators, in your office ensures that your patient's will never have to wait for supplies to arrive to get the care they need.

I recommend: Utah Medical Products offers various procedure specific gynecological and obstetrical instruments, such as the LUMIN uterine manipulator and injector. Cooper Surgical sells gynecological surgical instruments used for specialized procedures, including hysterectomy and sterilization equipment.

Sterilize reusable OB GYN equipment according to CDC protocol

Autoclaves and other sterilizers are vital to keeping OB GYN equipment suitable for use by multiple patients. When you order the new equipment, ask for an in office or virtual demonstration to ensure that you use the equipment properly.

I recommend: You can find sterilizers for gynecology instruments at LABREPCO. This company sells vivarium sterilizers and autoclaves. Information about the different types of sterilizers and what equipment can be sterilized in each type is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There is a wide range of instruments used in gynecological and obstetric procedures. Common instruments are used for examining the female reproductive system, collecting samples and performing surgical tasks. Many of these instruments are classified a disposables, which only allows the instruments to be used one time and then discarded. Other instruments, especially those for surgical procedures, are made from stainless steel so they can be reused once they are sterilized.

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Speculum

A speculum is an instrument used to open body cavities. In gynecology, a speculum is used to open the cervix to check for signs of cancer or other abnormalities. This instrument can be made from plastic or metal.

I recommend: Planned Parenthood describes the use of a speculum in a pelvic exam to perform a PAP test.

Uterine manipulator

A uterine manipulator is an instrument used in gynecological surgery to move the uterus. It can also be used as an injection tool.

I recommend: Hayden Medical provides an overview of the most common types of uterine manipulators and injectors.

Autoclave

An autoclave is a machine that sterilizes stainless steel medical equipment. Many instruments used in gynecology and obstetrics are made from stainless steel so they can be reused.

I recommend: The UVM Environmental Safety Facility provides an overview of how autoclaves work, how to check for proper function and what to do in case of an accident using it.

Uterine dilator

A uterine dilator is an instrument used to open up the cervix for a number of different procedures. Uterine dilators may also be used to facilitate fertility treatments.

I recommend: Cancer Consultants describes common procedures performed to treat uterine cancer, which includes dilation and curettage.

Curette

A curette is a surgical instrument used to remove a small amount of tissue from inside the body. The instrument is shaped like a spoon and is used for tissue samples and biopsies.

I recommend: Miltex provides information on their line of disposable OB/GYN curettes for biopsy and sampling procedures.

Ultrasound machine

An ultrasound machine is a tool used to see inside the body. An ultrasound can be used for many specialties, but in gynecology and obstetrics it is used to observe the female reproductive system.

I recommend: Medline Plus provides information on the procedures using an ultrasound machine for tracking a pregnancy.