Obstetrics and Gynecologists’ awareness, utilization and the problems related to “the disease and pregnancy” in the clinical practice guidelines developed by other medical societies.

Abstract

 We conducted a nationwide survey about the awareness and utilization by obstetricians and gynecologists of contents concerning pregnancy in clinical guidelines developed by other medical societies than Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. We sent a questionnaire to 599 clinical training facilities of obstetrics and gynecology in Japan. Out of the 316 responded facilities, the awareness of the contents concerning pregnancy in the clinical practice guidelines is low, and the utilization is low too. The utilization rate was high in perinatal medical centers. There was a tendency that doctors with more than 31 years’ occupational experience did not use them. 95％ and more reported that obstetricians and gynecologists need to participate in the preparation of the clinical practice guidelines by other medical societies. This questionnaire revealed that the awareness and utilization by obstetricians and gynecologists of contents concerning pregnancy in the clinical practice guidelines developed by other medical societies are generally low. It is possible that the involvement of obstetricians and gynecologists in the creation of guidelines and the development of younger doctors enhance the awareness and utilization.