In 2010, fewer than 10% of family physicians provided maternity care, citing lifestyle, financial and liability concerns. A recent study from researchers at the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) demonstrated that family physicians who are trained to provide advanced maternity care (which includes surgical obstetrics) in their practices face additional challenges beyond lifestyle impact and the cost of insurance. Variability in maternity care training for family physicians, regional and institutional variation in hospital credentialing criteria, and strained relationships with obstetricians influence a family physician’s ability to practice advanced maternity care.

Obstetricians provide the majority of maternity care in the United States in urban areas; however, family physicians often fill the gap in the maternity care workforce in rural America, including caring for high-risk pregnancies and providing other full spectrum maternity care services.

The research used data from qualitative semi-structured interviews with 51 purposively sampled key stakeholders in family medicine maternity care. The group included family medicine-obstetrics fellowship directors, past fellows, and family medicine residency directors of programs with advanced maternity care training.

The complete article can be found here.

Correspondence and inquiries should be addressed to: Aimee R. Eden, American Board of Family Medicine; 1648 McGrathiana Pkwy, Ste 550, Lexington, KY 40511; phone: 859-269-5626; or via email.