What women expect of family physicians as maternity care providers.
OBJECTIVE
To explore women's expectations and experiences of family physicians as maternity care providers.


METHODS
In-depth semistructured one-on-one interviews were conducted at 36 weeks' gestation and at 6 weeks postpartum.


METHODS
Family practices in Halifax, NS.


METHODS
Five female family physicians recruited a total of 6 low-risk primigravida women. Five of the 6 women completed follow-up interviews.


METHODS
Interviews lasting 1 to 2 hours were conducted using an unstructured interview guide. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using a grounded-theory approach.


RESULTS
Women's expectations fell into 4 main categories: informational support, emotional support, advocacy, and competent professional care. Women's expectations of physicians were consistent in some areas and varied in others. All women expected their physicians to communicate information about their medical care, listen to and respect their wishes, and provide them with competent medical care. Some women expected their physicians to provide emotional support and help with decision making, while others did not. Uncertainty about the role of family physicians in helping women prepare for birth was also evident. Women in our study described a range of roles for family physicians as maternity care providers. These roles reflected a holistic style of care that addresses the psychosocial as well as the biomedical needs of women giving birth.


CONCLUSIONS
Research is needed to define family physicians' roles as maternity care providers and to describe how these roles fit with similar roles filled by other maternity care providers.
Douglas
Sue
S
Academic Unit of General Practice and Community Health, Australian National University, Bldg 4, Level 2, Canberra Hospital, Woden ACT, Australia. susan.douglas@anu.edu.au
Cervin
Catherine
C
Bower
Kelly Nicol
KN
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D005791:Patient Care / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires