Parenthood among Surgeons in the US: Balancing Scalpels and Strollers

A surgical lifestyle may challenge the balance between professional responsibilities and personal life. We sought to define the impact of being a surgeon on the likelihood of parenthood.

The American Community Survey database was queried from 2018 to 2022 to investigate trends in parenthood among surgeons, non-surgeon physicians, and the general US population. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with parenthood.

Among 3,385 surgeons and 52,758 non-surgeon physicians, 50.6% vs 46.0% were parents, respectively (relative risk 1.10, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.14). The US general population had a markedly lower prevalence of parenthood (relative risk 0.58, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.58). Surgeons were more likely to be married (83.3% vs 78.2% vs 42.7%) and had higher annual income vs physicians and the US population ($390,000 [130,000 to 512,000] vs $200,200 [86,200 to 400,000] and $36,100 [11,600 to 96,000], respectively; p < 0.05). In multivariable analysis, surgeons had 12% higher odds of having children than non-surgeon physicians (odds ratio [OR] 1.12, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.23). Among surgeons, being married (OR 11.69 [95% CI 5.41 to 17.29]) and higher income (per $10,000 increase; OR 1.02 [95% CI 1.01 to 1.03]) were associated with higher odds of parenthood, whereas female sex (OR 0.71 [95% CI 0.58 to 0.79]) was associated with lower odds. Female surgeons earned a lower annual income ($288,800 [84,000 to 486,000] vs $406,000 [148,000 to 525,000]), worked more hours per week (57.0 hours [20.8] vs 50.2 hours [23.9]), and were less often married (67.7% vs 86.7%) vs male surgeons (p < 0.05).

Surgeons had a higher likelihood of parenthood vs non-surgeon physicians and the general US population. The odds of being a parent varied on the basis of sex, marital status, and annual income. Female surgeons were less likely to be parents while working longer hours and earning a lower annual income.