How family influences practice of obstetrics. Do married women family physicians make different choices?
OBJECTIVE
To examine the influence of family, past and current, on married women family physicians' and to understand why and how some women continue to practise obstetrics.


METHODS
Purposive sample of nine married women family physicians who currently practise obstetrics.


METHODS
Qualitative in-depth interviews.


RESULTS
Analysis identified four main influences of family on participants' practice of obstetrics: family of origin, transitions in the life cycle, children, and the marital relationship.


CONCLUSIONS
These women described how they combined the roles of wife, mother, daughter, sister, and doctor. Family was a powerful influence throughout their practice lives. Finding a balance between the demands of practice, particularly obstetrics, and family relationships was an ongoing process. The process was also influenced by transitions in the life cycle.
Brown
J B
JB
Centre for Studies in Family Medicine, Thames Valley Family Practice Research Unit, University of Western Ontario, London.
Carroll
J
J
Reid
A
A
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009774:Obstetrics; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000523:psychology*; D012380:Role; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload