Female Urologists' Experiences With Lactation in the Workplace

To investigate institutional support and lactation policies for urologists and to explore surgeon satisfaction with available lactation resources.

An anonymous, voluntary survey was administered to female physicians through private female physician social media groups and the Society of Women in Urology in 2023 and 2024. The survey assessed demographic information, institutional lactation policy information, and personal perception of lactation resources and support. Responses were compared between urologists and other surgical subspecialists and between attendings and trainees using t tests and Fisher exact tests.

Eight hundred and sixteen surgeons completed the survey, 153 (19%) of whom were urologists. Among urologists, only 23% reported having a formal lactation policy at their institution, and 57% were satisfied with this policy. Overall, urologists and other surgeons reported similar policies and perceptions. Attending urologists were more likely to be offered adjusted work hours than trainees, but trainees felt more supported by their colleagues.

Despite clear legislation mandating a safe space and adequate time for lactation, our data demonstrates that urologists and other surgeons struggle to find adequate resources. Few institutions have formal lactation policies, and only about half of participants were satisfied with said policies. These findings emphasize the need for institutions to create and disseminate clear lactation policies that are compliant with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and federal law.