Female Surgeons and Physicians Experience Greater Infertility Rates and Pregnancy Complications Than Other Professional Women

Abstract

Background Long years of school/training have shown to be associated with infertility and pregnancy complications. Rates of infertility and pregnancy complications were compared among women in demanding professional careers to better understand career differences impacting family planning. Methods Inclusion criteria : English-speaking, childbearing professional women in surgery, medicine, law, and engineering. Exclusion criteria: men and women not in professional careers mentioned and non-childbearing women. Male-dominated fields identified to select non-medical female professionals. Top medical, law, and engineering schools’ female faculty were surveyed from October 2022 to December 2022. Descriptive analysis and chi-squared tests were performed. Results 2302 surveys were distributed and 268 responses were obtained (11.6%): 121 non-surgeon physicians, 120 lawyers/other doctorate degree holders, and 27 other/unknown. Data analysis included prior study’s surgeon data. The median age (IQR = 25%, 75%) of the surgeons was 40y (36,45), non-surgeon physicians 43y (37,50), and law/other doctorates 38y (35,46). Delayed childbearing was observed in 65.0% surgeons, 66.1% non-surgeon physicians, and 57.5% law/other doctorates ( P < .001). Pregnancy loss <10wks was observed in 35.3% surgeons, 33.9% non-surgeon physicians, and 30.8% law/other doctorates ( P < .001). Infertility testing was performed in 43.0% non-surgeon physicians and 34.2% law/other doctorates ( P < .001). Assisted reproductive technology was utilized by 24.9% surgeons, 43.0% non-surgeon physicians, and 21.7% law/other doctorates ( P < .001). Discussion Surgeons/physicians suffer more childbearing complications than other professional women.