title: Management of early pregnancy failure and induced abortion by family medicine educators.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reproductive health care, including treatment of early pregnancy failure (EPF) and induced abortion, is an integral part of patient-centered care provided by family physicians, but data suggest that comprehensive training is not widely available to family medicine residents. The purpose of this study was to assess EPF and induced abortion management practices and attitudes of family medicine physician educators throughout the United States and Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  These data were collected as part of a cross-sectional survey conducted by the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance that was distributed via E-mail to 3152 practicing physician members of Council of Academic Family Medicine organizations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The vast majority of respondents (88.2%) had treated EPF, whereas few respondents (15.3%) had provided induced medication or aspiration abortions. Of those who had treated EPF, most had offered medication management (72.7%), whereas a minority had provided aspiration management (16.4%). Almost all respondents (95%) agreed that EPF management is within the scope of family medicine, and nearly three-quarters (73.2%) agreed that early induced abortion is within the scope of family medicine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that family physician educators are more experienced with EPF management than elective abortion. Given the overlap of skills needed for provision of these services, there is the potential to increase the number of family physician faculty members providing induced abortions.
authors.affiliation: RHEDI/Reproductive Health Education in Family Medicine, the Department of Family and Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY; the Department of Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Cara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herbitter
authors.forename: Ariana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Finn D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Marji
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gold
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000193:education*; D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D060728:Reproductive Health; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Abortion (Induced); Graduate Medical Education; Miscarriage; Women's Health