abstract
- Family physicians and obstetricians are rapidly discontinuing obstetric practice. Infringement on lifestyle and threat of litigation are the two most important reasons for both family physicians' and obstetricians' withdrawing from obstetric practice. Only 4% of each medical school graduating class will enter practice as fully trained obstetricians. The most likely way to avoid future gaps in obstetric care is to attract more students and family medicine trainees to obstetrics. Strategies to stimulate undergraduate interest in low-risk obstetrics, to attract family medicine residents to pre-natal and intrapartum care, and to retain more of the family physicians and obstetricians now involved in delivering babies urgently require attention.