The Cost of Maternity Leave for the Orthopaedic Surgeon

Nguyen, Cynthia; Luong, Marilan; Weiss, Jennifer M.; Hardesty, Christina K.; Karamitopoulos, Mara; Poon, Selina

doi:10.5435/jaaos-d-19-00337

Cited by 14 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Not only is this far less than the recommendation but also places women at risk to disregard postpartum restrictions given the physical demands required while at work. The authors also found a significant difference between the length of leave taken between residents (6.3 ± 5 weeks), fellows (8.3 ± 7.2 weeks), and practicing surgeons (9.6 ± 8.5 weeks), with residents taking the shortest amount of leave 14 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…In many European countries, women are allotted 6 to 12 months of paid maternity leave, which has significant implications regarding length of breastfeeding, parental bonding, and postpartum depression. However, a 2020 study written by Nguyen et al reported that the average amount of paid leave offered to orthopaedic surgeons is only 4.6 weeks 14 . Not only is this far less than the recommendation but also places women at risk to disregard postpartum restrictions given the physical demands required while at work.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pregnancy in Orthopaedic Residents

2022

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Introduction: While there are multiple barriers that may discourage women from choosing a career in orthopaedic surgery, one area of concern is pursuing pregnancy during residency training. This study's primary purpose was to determine the most prominent barriers to pursuing pregnancy during orthopaedic surgery residency. Methods: A 63-item survey designed to evaluate multiple aspects of childbearing during orthopaedic surgery residency was distributed through email and a targeted Facebook platform to female orthopaedic surgeons and orthopaedic trainees in the United States. Given the study design, statistics were largely descriptive in nature. Multivariate logistic regression was also used to determine independent factors associated with professional dissatisfaction as it related to pregnancy during orthopaedic residency. Results: A total of 328 women responded to the survey. The 3 most prominent barriers to pursuing pregnancy during orthopaedic residency were concerns about the ability to balance clinical and maternal duties (67%), fear of how the resident would be viewed by those in the program (60%), and being unable to ensure optimal prenatal and postpartum care for the mother and child given an unpredictable schedule (38%). On univariate analysis of those who reported ‡1 pregnancy during residency (n = 71), maternity leave £6 weeks was statistically associated with "revisiting career choice" (p = 0.02) and "lack of resources and support" (p = 0.01). Conclusion:The results raise concern that qualified female applicants may be deterred from the field of orthopaedics given perceived difficulties associated with pregnancy as a resident. If policies are created to support women who desire to have children during residency, more women may be encouraged to pursue a career in orthopaedic surgery. Level of Evidence: V Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSOA/A447).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pregnancy in Orthopaedic Residents

2022

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“…Surgeons, like other new parents, have many financial responsibilities related to childbirth, childcare, adoption, or assisted reproductive treatments when expanding their families. These responsibilities are compounded by overhead costs related to maintaining a practice, and the loss of income proportionate to the length of time taken for parental leave 4,22. It is a challenge to achieve standardization of policies that promote adequate pay for surgeons on parental leave due to the varying structures of practice environments, but one worth addressing to improve the well-being of the pediatric orthopaedic workforce.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Policies, Practices, and Attitudes Related to Parental Leave for Practicing Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeons

Legister

Morgan

Samora

et al. 2023

Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics

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Background: Parental leave impacts family engagement, bonding, stress, and happiness. Because parental leave benefits are important to all surgeons regardless of sex, understanding parental leave practices in pediatric orthopaedic surgery is critical to promote equity within the profession and supporting balance in work and family life. The aim of this study was to survey pediatric orthopaedic surgeons about their knowledge of parental leave policies, attitudes towards parental leave, and their individual experiences taking leave. Methods: A 34-question anonymous survey was distributed to the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America membership. Eligible respondents were attending pediatric orthopaedic surgeons practicing in the United States or Canada. The survey gathered information about employer parental leave policies, perceptions about and experiences with parental leave while practicing as a surgeon, and demographic information about respondents. Results: A total of 77 responses were completed and used for analysis. Most respondents were men (59.7%), <50 years old (67.5%), married (90.9%), and in urban communities (75.3%). A large majority were practicing in the United States (97.4%). Most respondents were unfamiliar with employer parental leave policies (maternity: 53.3%; paternity: 67.5%; and adoption: 85.7%). Those familiar with policies reported that employers offered 7 to 12 weeks for maternity leave (45.7%) and <1 week for paternity leave (50%) and adoption leave (45.5%). Most respondents believed 7 to 12 weeks should be offered for maternity leave (66.2%), 1 to 6 weeks for paternity leave (54.6%), and 7 to 12 weeks for adoption leave (46.8%). Many respondents reported taking 1 to 6 weeks of parental leave as a surgeon (53.3%) and that their colleagues were supportive of their parental leave (40.3%). Conclusions: Most pediatric orthopaedic surgeons were unfamiliar with parental leave benefits provided by employers. Respondents who were familiar with these policies believed that more parental leave should be provided, especially for men who may feel social pressure to take less time for leave. Although respondents reported that their work environments were supportive, this study identified opportunities for improvement to support surgeons who wish to balance parental experiences with work responsibilities. Level of Evidence: Level V.

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“…Among North American orthopedic surgeons, maternity leave was reported as limited (a mean of 4.6 weeks for the first child and 8.2 weeks for the second) and costly (mean of US $3000/week) [18]. Academic surgeons report that motherhood delayed their career progress, while surgeons in private practice reported being pressured to take longer leaves and high financial costs/ losses from maternity leave [19].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Family planning and parity among pediatric surgeons — it is time to confront a serious problem (a survey among Brazilian female pediatric surgeons)

et al. 2022

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Background Obstetric problems and infertility affect female surgeons. Family perspectives influence specialty choice and attrition rates. We aim to study parity, fertility, and family planning among female pediatric surgeons. A questionnaire was filled out by licensed BFPS to evaluate pregnancy/motherhood among Brazilian female pediatric surgeons (BFPS). The professionals were divided into two groups that were compared (< 40 and ≥ 40 years of age). Results Eighty-three < 40 and 91 ≥ 40-year-old BFPS were included, of which 2/3 were mothers. Most planned children after being hired as consultants. Almost a tenth (8.87%) reported marital conflicts secondary to the refusal to get pregnant. A fifth reported a high-risk pregnancy, and 12.73% had miscarriages. Half reported no adverse consequences of postponing pregnancy, but 6.9% stayed childless, 16.67% had fewer children than planned, and 10.92% needed infertility treatment. Professional problems related to pregnancy/motherhood were reported by 59.09%, and 86.36% of the women who were mothers had difficulties conciliating professional duties and motherhood. Conclusion BFPS parity was 1.38, lower than Brazilian women (mean 1.77 children/woman). Most BFPS start their families by late 30s or early 40s. Unfavorable consequences of postponing pregnancy affected a third of BFPS. Time off after pregnancy and protection during pregnancy remain problematic. A hostile environment and life-career conflicts may lead to the abandonment of the specialty.

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The Cost of Maternity Leave for the Orthopaedic Surgeon

Cited by 14 publications

References 8 publications

Pregnancy in Orthopaedic Residents

Pregnancy in Orthopaedic Residents

Policies, Practices, and Attitudes Related to Parental Leave for Practicing Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeons

Family planning and parity among pediatric surgeons — it is time to confront a serious problem (a survey among Brazilian female pediatric surgeons)

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