Can Family Physicians Deliver Babies?

Are family physicians permitted to deliver babies? Medical students, and every day people out there often ask this question, and the precise ANSWER to this is: YES, family physicians have the legal right with medical practice to carry out delivery of babies where required.

The only gap here is that in current times, some pediatric & family physicians are shying away from offering maternity care as part of their medical practice and scope.

Why require the services of family physicians in this context when there are so many qualified OB/GYNs?

The answer to that is that OB/GYNs are not that much or well distributed across the states. The United States alone has about 50 percent of its counties having no single OB/GYN doctor. To fill in the gap, family physicians who wish to do this are permitted within medical rights to deliver babies.

Generally, family physicians provide medical care that includes several medical needs as well as pregnancy and child delivery, and antenatal checkups where required.

Family Physicians Have The Training For Delivering Babies

Family physicians have specialized training in the medical field that comprises 3-year residency after medical school, and minimum of 3 months training in gynecology & obstetrics.

In reality, family physicians generally become excellent pediatricians as by description – the field has to do with the overall wellbeing of the individual and the family members; and it’s not restricted to sex, age, and disease or organ system.

Your family physician might just be the perfect doctor you need because:

• He or she likely lives nearby,
• He or she will be able to care for you, your new child and also entire household,
• He or she will be more committed as a family doctor

If you are not sure, ask. Each family doctor is different.