Obstetrics has one of the highest rates of malpractice of all medical specialties, and medical malpractice in this field can cause cerebral palsy and other lifelong or life-threatening conditions. Reducing the long hours obstetricians work may help to minimize the margin for error — hence, the rise of laborists.

Laborists are essentially hospital-based specialists who work defined shifts so they experience less fatigue. They do not oversee the pregnancy, only the delivery. Some experts believe that this shift, though less personal, will actually improve safety.

Time will tell but to learn more about this new and growing trend, check out The Birth of a Notion article in the Boston Globe.

Tags: "medical malpractice" "cerebral palsy causes" "cerebral palsy" Laborists