The study of claims motives is relevant since Obstetrics and Gynecology (O&G) is one of the specialties that it is involved with greater frequency in demands in the Medical Arbitration National Commission (CONAMED).
Objective: In order to know the causes by those which the patients have attended to be complained of the attention provided by a Obstetrician/Gynecologist (OG).
Material and methods: Between June 1, 1996, and November 30, 1998, there were 635 demands reported to the CONAMED for obstetrical or gynecological care, 375 (60%) derived from obstetrical care; claims were grouped by motives and for stage of the attention in which they were originated.
Results: There were more than 17 different causes of claim, the most frequent were: complications (20%), care not opportune (16%), accidents (15%), improper actions (15%), diagnostic error (10%). Claims were derived from: Surgical procedures (45%), medical treatment (27%) and diagnosis (13%). 15 (2.4%) of claims were generated from vaginal delivery, but only 9 (1.4%) were obstetrician related. Obstetric surgical procedures account for 23% of claims.
Conclusions: OG are more claimed because work harder, more than one million vaginal and more than 500,000 cesarean deliveries are performed yearly in Mexico. The rates of reported claims are low, one per 10,000 deliveries attended; one per 275,000 vaginal deliveries, one per 8,400 obstetric surgical procedures. It all points OG claims as a probabilistic problem, risk related.