Profession
N.Y. sees decline in ob-gyn supply
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 22, 2006
A report from the New York Center for Health Workforce Studies found that the number of ob-gyns in the state is on the decline, particularly in upstate areas. That could spell access problems for women in those regions, the report said.
Researchers examined ob-gyn practice patterns between 1995 and 2005 and discovered a 4% drop in the supply of active ob-gyns statewide from 2000 to 2004. Some upstate regions saw sharper declines. For example, the Mohawk Valley experienced a 43% drop in active ob-gyns.
In part, demographic changes in New York contributed to the change in the number of ob-gyn jobs available and the overall decline in the number of ob-gyns, researchers said.
The total number of births in New York declined more than 7% between 1995 and 2003, and the birth rate per 1,000 women of childbearing age dropped by more than 5 per 1,000. During the same period, the number of births in New York City slipped more than 5%, and the birth rate per 1,000 women of childbearing age decreased more than 8 per 1,000. The number of ob-gyn procedures being done, both same-day and multiple-day hospital procedures, also declined statewide.
Despite the downturn in the number of births and procedures performed, researchers said the number of ob-gyns in some areas in the state, such as Mohawk Valley, was shrinking so fast that women in these regions could be facing access problems soon.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/05/22/prbf0522.htm.
