Return to work after parenting in thoracic surgery: a call to action

Women in our modern era are facing considerable challenges in the workplace, particularly in Cardiothoracic Surgery where women are under-represented in leadership and academic roles. Returning to work after parental leave may potentially uncover or exacerbate existing gender biases within the workplace, with important consequences on professional and personal lives. Our goal was to characterize the experiences and the impact of return-to-work after parenting on Thoracic Surgery careers across Europe.

All the participants of the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting in 2023 were invited to complete this 32-item questionnaire. The survey was subsequently distributed through the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons social media platform from November to January 2024. A descriptive and specific group analysis was performed according to the distribution.

There were 152 participants, 92 of whom were female (61.0%) and 66 (43%) were between 31 and 40 years, constituting the most heavily represented age group. More women parents reported their role as the primary care provider of their child (89% vs 34%; P < 0.00001). Moreover, presence of in-hospital childcare facilities was evaluated as more important by women. Approximately half of the parent-respondents reported breastfeeding (42, 52%), but only 26% (11) of this group indicated having any type of flexible hours for breast-feeding. Compared to men, women more often agreed that parenting might affect their career (81% vs 53%; P = 0.040) and felt less supported by their employers when having children (45% vs 68%; P = 0.37).

This survey study identified main challenges to return to surgical work after parental leaves. Lack of structural or system-level support and limited resources for childcare and breastfeeding were considerably affecting women surgeons. Institutional initiatives for new parents and breast-feeding colleagues are crucial for supporting a diverse workforce, and any kind of discrimination derived from parental leaves should not be tolerated.