Dilation and evacuation training in maternal-fetal medicine fellowships.
OBJECTIVE
Many maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists provide dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedures for their patients with fetal or obstetric complications. Our study describes the D&E training opportunities that are available to MFM trainees during their fellowship.


METHODS
National surveys of MFM fellows and fellowship program directors assessed the availability of D&E training in fellowship. Univariate and multivariate comparisons of correlates of D&E training and provision were performed.


RESULTS
Of the 270 MFM fellows and 79 fellowship directors who were contacted, 92 (34%) and 44 (56%) responded, respectively. More than one-half of fellows (60/92) and almost one-half of fellowship programs (20/44) report organized training opportunities for D&E. Three-quarters of fellows who were surveyed believe that D&E training should be part of MFM fellowship, and one-third of fellows who have not yet been trained would like training opportunities. Being at a fellowship that offers D&E training is associated with 7.5 times higher odds of intending to provide D&E after graduation (P = .005; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-30).


CONCLUSIONS
MFM physicians are in a unique position to provide termination services for their patients with pregnancy complications. Many MFM subspecialists provide D&E services during fellowship and plan to continue after graduation. MFM fellows express a strong interest in D&E training; therefore, D&E training opportunities should be offered as a part of MFM fellowship.
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA.
Melissa G
MG
Rosenstein
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA.
Jema K
JK
Turk
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, OR.
Aaron B
AB
Caughey
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA.
Jody E
JE
Steinauer
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA.
Jennifer L
JL
Kerns
D000032:Abortion, Therapeutic / Q000193:education*; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D013038:Specialization; D014481:United States
dilation and evacuation; maternal-fetal medicine training; second-trimester abortion