The authors divided physicians into 3 groups: low volume (fewer than 12 deliveries per year; 72 physicians, 549 births); medium volume (12-24 per year; 34 physicians, 871 births); and high volume (25 or more per year; 46 physicians, 3024 births). Both before and after adjusting for several maternal and infant characteristics, the authors found no difference among the 3 groups in terms of maternal complications of delivery, 5-minute Apgar scores below 7, or rates of admission of the infant to a special care unit. However, the authors did find that family physicians in the high- and medium-volume groups consulted obstetricians less frequently and were less likely to perform inductions than their low-volume counterparts.
p. 1257 Does delivery volume of family physicians predict maternal and newborn outcome? — M.C. Klein et al
Canadian Medical Association Journal