title: New tool for presenting risk in obstetrics and gynecology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Paling Perspective Scale, a means of communicating risk in various settings, has been applied to diverse fields such as nuclear power, blood banking, and ophthalmology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Statistics of risk for various events in obstetrics and gynecology were collected from the literature and directly applied to the risk scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The graphic simplicity and versatility of this scale make it adaptable for communicating risks to people of different technical and educational backgrounds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Paling Perspective Scale might help obstetrician-gynecologists obtain informed consent for surgery, genetic counseling, and other topics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1066, USA.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Stallings
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Paling
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D009774:Obstetrics; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011247:Pregnancy; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors