A survey of 347 general surgeons who had one or more pregnancies during residency revealed multiple concerns for pregnant surgical residents.
Here are nine findings from the survey.
1. About 86 percent of respondents worked an unmodified schedule until delivery.
2. More than one-third of respondents strongly considered leaving surgical residency.
3. The majority of respondents — 72.9 percent — witnessed faculty members or other residents make negative comments about pregnant trainees or childbearing during training.
4. About 35 percent reported their residency program having maternity leave policies.
5. Nearly 96 percent of 344 respondents said they considered breastfeeding important.
6. Of those respondents, 58.1 percent stopped breastfeeding earlier than they wished because of poor access to lactation facilities and challenges leaving the operating room to express milk.
7. Roughly 18 percent reported institutional support for childcare.
8. About 67 percent desired greater mentorship on integrating a surgical career with motherhood and pregnancy.
9. Twenty-nine percent would discourage female medical students from a surgical career, specifically because of the difficulties of balancing pregnancy and motherhood with training.