The reason Dr. Luz Pettle, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist with Valley Care Clinics, decided to live and work in the Rio Grande Valley is simple.
“There is no snow here,” she said, deadpan. “Ever.” She received her training at the University at Buffalo-SUNY in Buffalo, New York — a city that receives, on average, 93.4 inches of snow every year, according to National Weather Service data.
Pettle’s self-described sarcastic brand of humor is something that patients look forward to, as it sets them at ease during their visits to her office. She provides comprehensive women’s services from low- and high-risk pregnancy care to minimally invasive surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System.
“I love using the da Vinci robotic system because the articulations in the robot’s arms are like a surgeon’s hands,” Pettle said, adding that she can use the system on everything from small hysterectomies to addressing large fibroid uteruses. “They articulate just like a surgeon would but without having to cut a person open. From 10 centimeters to these small incisions the size of my pinky.”
Minimally invasive surgeries have lower risks than traditional surgeries, including less risk of bleeding, a lower likelihood of infections, and a faster recovery time — meaning her patients can get back to their lives as quickly as possible. Instead of downtimes of weeks and months, patients are only looking at days and weeks of recovery.
It’s a goal that extends to her waiting and exam rooms, as Pettle recognizes that “nobody wants to be in the doctor’s office for two or three hours.” She and her team strive to care for patients as efficiently as possible to minimize wait times.
Pettle also offers down-to-earth advice for new mothers that stems from her own experience with motherhood.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself as a mom,” she said. “I constantly have to tell myself, ‘you can’t do everything perfect 100 percent of the time.’
“Be a good mom. Your kids will love you.” Being there when it matters most should take priority over striving for perfection in every single moment, she explains.
But the most crucial thing a mother can do for her children takes place before they’re even born: obtaining adequate prenatal care.
“Come to your visits. Come see us,” Pettle urged. “We’re going to take really good care of you and that’s the most important first step to long-lasting health.”
Pettle helps pave the way for her patients to be active participants in their own health care. She encourages all women — especially teenagers and young adults — to discuss safe sex and reproductive health with their gynecologists during regular visits. It might be an awkward or uncomfortable topic for some, but open communication can facilitate the best health care and choices for women and their futures.
“It’s your health, it’s your reproductive health, and you want to have a baby when you’re ready to have a baby,” Pettle said. “Starting long-acting reversible contraceptives or even contraceptive pills early on will help not only regulate your period, but will help you decide when and if you ever want to have children.”
Visit valleycareclinics.com/find-a-doctor/luz-pettle to learn more about the services Dr. Luz Pettle provides or to schedule an appointment online, or call (956) 682-6146. She practices at Valley Care Clinics Sugar Road OB/GYN, 4302 S. Sugar Road, Suite 206, in Edinburg.
SERVING RGV WOMEN
Dr. Luz Pettle provides the following OB/GYN services:
- Prenatal services
- Da Vinci robotic surgery
- Minimally invasive procedures
- Annual gynecologic examinations
- Essure procedure
- Urinary incontinence procedures
- High risk obstetrics
- Sonohysterograms
- Endometrial ablation
- Office hysteroscopy
- Infertility
- Fibroids
- Ovarian cysts
- Endometriosis
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Free pregnancy tests
- Abnormal pap smears
- Birth control
- Mammograms
