Predictors of the provision of intrapartum care by general practitioners: five-year cohort study

There is little published evidence that any aspect of vocational training for general practice improves the quality of care provided by general practitioners (GPs).

To investigate whether aspects of education and vocational training predict whether GPs provide intrapartum care.

A five-year prospective cohort study was carried out in the United Kingdom (UK) using responders to a 1990 national survey of GPs for whom a current UK address could be found. Main outcome measures were factors associated with provision of GP intrapartum care in 1995.

In 1995, a minority of ex-trainees (65 out of 349, 18%) provided intrapartum care as GPs, although 28% would ideally have wished to do so; 8% provided home delivery care. Four education and training variables were associated with ex-trainees booking women for GP delivery in 1995: the number of partners in the ex-trainee's GP training practice providing GP intrapartum care (odds ratio (OR) = 1.30); performing forceps deliveries as an obstetric senior house officer (SHO) (OR = 1.24), witnessing episiotomies as a student (OR = 1.17), and witnessing twin deliveries as a student (OR = 0.75).

In the case of GP intrapartum care, future service provision is associated with certain education and training variables. There is a mismatch between GPs' ideal and actual maternity care provision. Changes to enhance such care would be needed at least at three levels: selection and approval of training practices, content and base for SHO posts, and practice arrangements for maternity cover.