Lawsuits, insurance costs stymie ob-gyns

Would you want your baby to be delivered by a complete stranger? According to an article in the Times-Picayune, that scenario is becoming a reality more quickly than you'd think. The threat of expensive lawsuits and skyrocketing medical malpractice premiums have forced several obstetricians and gynecologists to consider leaving the field altogether. The article states that malpractice premiums typically run around $200,000 a year--a number that can double, or even triple if a malpractice case is lost. Dr. David Herzog, an attending physician and teacher at the University of Richmond Medical Center, believes that this trend ultimately will "compromise the care." Herzog thinks that, should things continue on their current path, the birthing process will become "a sterile procedure instead of a beautiful experience."

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), ob-gyn doctors average around three medical malpractice claims filed against them over the course of their careers.

For more information:
- read the Times-Picayune's article