Vaginal operative delivery in Germany: a national survey about experience and self-reported competency

Abstract

Background To determine German obstetricians’ self-perceived experience with vacuum and forceps deliveries. Patients and methods Using a web-based survey, German obstetricians were invited to participate in a survey. This survey was approved by the German society of obstetrics and gynecology. Results Surveys of 635 obstetricians were received. All obstetricians reported performing significantly less forceps than vacuum deliveries. Almost all obstetricians want to perform more delivery, which indicates the willingness to learn both. More obstetricians felt confident to perform vacuum than forceps. In a similar obstetrical indication, most of the obstetricians would prefer to perform a vacuum assisted delivery. The majority of the obstetricians wished to receive more training in vaginal operative deliveries. Conclusion Most of the German obstetricians prefer to use vacuum-assisted vaginal deliveries and feel less confident to perform forceps deliveries. Standardized training to improve the quality of care is recommended.