Pregnancy in physicians: characteristics and complications

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Physicians often delay childbearing, leading to pregnancies at older maternal ages.
• The impact of demanding professional careers on pregnancy outcomes is an area of ongoing research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the pregnancy outcomes of physicians.
• To assess pregnancy complications and delivery characteristics in a cohort of female physicians.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 72 pregnancies in 37 physicians.
• Analysis of pregnancy course, abortion rates, delivery details, and infant characteristics.

Main Results:

• Patients were older than average; most worked until labor.
• Spontaneous abortion rates were similar to the general population; induced abortion rates were lower.
• Increased incidence of threatened preterm labor and abruptio placentae, leading to higher cesarean section rates.
• Infants tended to be heavier than average and postmature.

Conclusions:

• Physician pregnancies, despite advanced maternal age and increased risks like abruptio placentae, generally have favorable outcomes.
• The data suggests that physicians can maintain demanding work schedules during pregnancy with acceptable obstetric results.