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Delay of Pregnancy Among Physicians vs Nonphysicians
Maria C Cusimano1,2, Nancy N Baxter2,3,4, Rinku Sutradhar4,5
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
JAMA Internal Medicine
|May 3, 2021
Summary
Women physicians delay childbearing significantly compared to nonphysicians, initiating childbirth later but achieving similar overall rates. This delay, particularly for specialists, may increase risks, necessitating system-level support.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Medical Education
- Sociology of Professions
Background:
- Existing research on women physicians' childbearing patterns relies heavily on self-reported data.
- Understanding objective childbirth patterns is crucial for supporting physician well-being and career progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare childbirth timing and patterns between women physicians and nonphysicians.
- To identify differences in reproductive timelines across career stages and medical specialties.
Main Methods:
- Population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada (1995-2019).
- Compared outcomes of 5,238 physicians with 26,640 nonphysicians from age 15.
- Used Cox proportional hazards models to analyze childbirth associations with physician status.
Main Results:
- Physicians had significantly later childbirth initiation (median age 32 vs. 27 years) and lower rates at younger ages.
- Physicians showed higher childbirth likelihood at older ages (≥29 years), achieving similar cumulative probabilities overall.
- Family physicians exhibited higher childbirth incidence than specialists at all observed ages.
Conclusions:
- Women physicians, especially specialists, delay childbearing compared to nonphysicians.
- Delayed childbearing may increase risks for adverse reproductive outcomes.
- System-level interventions are recommended to support physicians' reproductive choices throughout their careers.
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