Reeson Emily A, Grimsby Gwen M, Esparza Melissa, Menzer Heather
Creighton University School of Medicine-Phoenix Campus, Phoenix, Arizona.
Division of Urology, Phoenix Children's, Phoenix, Arizona.
JB JS Open Access. 2025 Apr 18;10(2). doi: 10.2106/JBJS.OA.24.00209. eCollection 2025 Apr-Jun.
Medical training occurs during optimal childbearing years. While unique family planning challenges for surgeons are becoming more widely reported, a gap in knowledge remains regarding fertility and pregnancy risks for each subspecialty. This study assessed reported experiences and opinions of orthopaedic surgeons compared with other physicians and the general population regarding pregnancy complications, infertility, and maternal support.
An anonymous, voluntary survey was distributed to female physicians through private physician social media groups from June 2021-August 2021. The survey queried pregnancy demographics and complications, infertility diagnosis and treatment, workplace environment, and prior education on these topics. Results were compared between orthopaedic surgeons and the general population and other physicians.
Four thousand six hundred thirty-eight female physicians completed the survey, including 141 orthopaedic surgeons (3%). Compared with the general population, orthopaedic surgeons had children later in life (34.1 vs. 23.6 years; p < 0.0001), were more likely to have had a miscarriage (40% vs. 19.1%; p < 0.0001), undergone infertility evaluation (40.1% vs. 8.8%; p < 0.0001) or infertility treatment (31.9% vs. 12.7%; p < 0.0001), and had a preterm birth (19.9% vs. 10.2%; p < 0.0001). Forty-six percent of orthopaedic surgeons reported a pregnancy complication, and 6% received education on risks of delaying pregnancy. Compared with other physicians, orthopaedic surgeons were older at their first pregnancy (34.1 vs. 31.7, p < 0.0001), had fewer children (1.8 vs. 2.0, p = 0.0094), were more often discouraged from starting a family during training and practice (56% vs. 42%, p = 0.0007), and worked more hours per week while pregnant (59.1 vs. 54.1, p = 0.0002).
Female orthopaedic surgeons may have increased risks of miscarriage, infertility, and preterm birth compared with the general population. In addition, orthopaedic surgeons report experiencing more negative workplace attitudes and longer working hours while pregnant compared with physician peers. The culture of orthopaedic surgery must continue to evolve to better support women physicians with pregnancy and family planning.
Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
医学培训在最佳生育年龄期间进行。虽然外科医生独特的计划生育挑战得到了更广泛的报道，但各亚专业在生育能力和妊娠风险方面仍存在知识空白。本研究评估了骨科医生与其他医生及普通人群在妊娠并发症、不孕症和孕产妇支持方面的报告经历和观点。
2021年6月至2021年8月，通过私人医生社交媒体群组向女医生发放了一份匿名自愿调查问卷。该调查询问了妊娠人口统计学和并发症、不孕症诊断和治疗、工作场所环境以及关于这些主题的既往教育情况。对骨科医生与普通人群及其他医生的结果进行了比较。
4638名女医生完成了调查，其中包括141名骨科医生（3%）。与普通人群相比，骨科医生生育年龄较晚（34.1岁对23.6岁；p<0.0001），更有可能经历过流产（40%对19.1%；p<0.0001）、接受不孕症评估（40.1%对8.8%；p<0.0001）或不孕症治疗（31.9%对12.7%；p<0.0001），并且有早产情况（19.9%对10.2%；p<0.0001）。46%的骨科医生报告有妊娠并发症，6%接受过关于延迟妊娠风险的教育。与其他医生相比，骨科医生首次怀孕时年龄更大（34.1岁对31.7岁，p<0.0001），子女数量更少（1.8个对2.0个，p=0.0094），在培训和执业期间更常被劝阻组建家庭（56%对42%，p=0.0007），并且怀孕时每周工作时间更长（59.1小时对54.1小时，p=0.0002）。
与普通人群相比，女性骨科医生流产、不孕和早产的风险可能增加。此外，与同行医生相比，骨科医生报告在怀孕时经历更多负面的工作场所态度和更长的工作时间。骨科手术文化必须持续发展，以更好地支持有妊娠和计划生育需求的女医生。
三级。有关证据水平的完整描述，请参阅作者指南。
