American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology is a non-profit organization that provides board certification for practicing obstetricians and gynecologists in the United States and Canada. It was founded in 1927 and is based in Dallas, Texas. It is one of 24 medical boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
The board was the center of controversy in 2013, when it issued a directive requiring its certified OB-GYNs to not treat male patients in order to retain their certification. This directive allowed OB-GYNs to treat men only in a small number of situations, such as if the man was involved in "active government service" or was undergoing a fertility evaluation. The board partially reversed its decision in response to criticism later that year, and the following January, it completely eliminated restrictions on its members' abilities to treat men.
