A maternal and child health curriculum for family practice residents: results of an intervention at the University of North Carolina.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES There has been a significant reduction in the number of family physicians who provide pregnancy care. This study examines the effects of an educational intervention at a university-based family practice residency. The intervention was designed to increase the number of graduates who include prenatal care or deliveries in their practices. METHODS The curriculum in pregnancy care was expanded to include a teaching service, better role modeling by family medicine faculty, more deliveries, stronger didactics, breast-feeding and child health services, and greater collaboration with other health care settings and professionals. RESULTS The intervention increased the average percentage of residents who included prenatal care or deliveries in their practices after graduation from 27.5% to 52%. CONCLUSIONS This educational intervention increased the number of family practice residency graduates who plan to include prenatal care or deliveries in their practices.