Maternity care practices of navy family practice residency graduates after leaving the military.
BACKGROUND
Nationwide, 32% of residency-trained family physicians deliver babies compared with 73% to 90% in the military. This study describes and defines issues that could ultimately help revive family practice maternity care.


METHODS
We surveyed 112 family physicians who had left the navy.


RESULTS
Ninety-one percent had delivered babies in the navy, 45% since leaving the military, and 25% currently. Principal maternity care incentives both in and out of the military were personal and professional satisfaction. Reasons for not providing civilian maternity care included malpractice risks, insurance costs, and lifestyle issues. The decision for providing maternity care was usually made before or during residency, whereas the decision against was most often made upon leaving the military. Among more recent graduates (1990-1995), 48% continued to deliver babies in civilian practice. (This is about 20% more than recent civilian graduates.) Malpractice concerns were less important to this group than to earlier graduates.


CONCLUSIONS
Factors discouraging family physicians from providing maternity care arise from their practice environment and are not easily overcome with improved training and experience. Recent navy residency graduates are not as easily discouraged.
Hayes
S M
SM
Family Practice Department, United States Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, Fla, USA.
Taylor
H A
HA
McGowan
L M
LM
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D003479:Curriculum; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D009326:Naval Medicine / Q000193:education*; D010819:Physician's Role; D011247:Pregnancy