Routine prenatal care visits by provider specialty in the United States, 2009-2010

Data from the 2009 and 2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey •At 14.1% of routine prenatal care visits in the United States in 2009-2010, women saw providers whose specialty was not obstetrics and gynecology (ob/gyn). •The percentage of routine prenatal care visits that were made to non-ob/gyn providers was highest (20.5%) among women aged 15-19. •Visits to non-ob/gyn providers accounted for a higher percentage of routine prenatal care visits among women with Medicaid (24.3%) and women with no insurance (23.1%) compared with women with private insurance (7.3%). •The percentage of routine prenatal care visits to non-ob/gyn providers was lower among women in large suburban areas (5.1%) compared with those in urban areas (14.4%) or in small towns or suburbs (22.4%). Early and adequate prenatal care is a Healthy People 2020 objective (1). Previous studies have focused on practice patterns of obstetricians/gynecologists or overall ambulatory care utilization by women (2-5). However, the amount of routine prenatal care delivered by obstetrics and gynecology (ob/gyn) providers and non-ob/gyn providers has not been quantified. Understanding which providers deliver prenatal care may yield valuable information about training and workforce needs. This report quantifies the amount of routine prenatal care delivered by non-ob/gyn providers among women aged 15-54 who were seen in physicians' offices, community health centers, and hospital outpatient departments (OPDs).