How pregnancy and childbirth affect the working conditions and careers of women surgeons in Japan: findings of a nationw
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
How pregnancy and childbirth affect the working conditions and careers of women surgeons in Japan: findings of a nationwide survey conducted by the Japan Surgical Society Kazumi Kawase1 · Kyoko Nomura2 · Sachiyo Nomura3 · Sadako Akashi‑Tanaka4 · Tomoko Ogawa5 · Ikuko Shibasaki6 · Mitsuo Shimada7 · Tomoaki Taguchi8 · Emiko Takeshita9 · Yasuko Tomizawa10 · Kazuhiro Hanazaki11 · Tomoko Hanashi12 · Hideko Yamauchi13 · Hiroko Yamashita14 · Seigo Nakamura15 Received: 26 May 2020 / Accepted: 14 July 2020 © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
Abstract Purpose To identify the conflicts between a career as a surgeon and pregnancy and childbirth for women in Japan. Methods The Japan Surgical Society conducted a nationwide survey on pregnancy and childbirth among its members who are women. The questionnaire included items regarding demography, working styles, and pregnancy and childbirth, including adverse events and harassment. Results The response rate was 29.9% (1068 responses, median age, 37 years). Among the responders, 61% were married and 47% had children (average number of children, 1.7). Half of the respondents reported having experienced sexual harassment and 62% reported having received unwelcome comments about pregnancy. About 20% had undergone fertility treatment. In total, 51% had pregnancies, with miscarriages in 33% of these. The top answer for the best timing for pregnancy and childbirth was after becoming board-certified. Nearly one-third of first-time mothers experienced adverse events during pregnancy and delivery, and 28% quit or changed their job because of their pregnancy and the birth of their first child. Conclusions Japanese women who choose a career as a surgeon face obstacles during pregnancy and childbirth. It is vital to share the findings of this study and understand the issues associated with pregnancy and childbirth regardless of gender. Interventions are essential to ensure that every pregnant surgeon has a safe working environment to allow unobstructed development of her career. Keywords Women surgeons · Pregnancy · Childbirth
Introduction In line with the increasing number of women entering the study of medicine, more than 20% of recruits in the Japan Surgical Society (JSS) are women in recent years. One of the major challenges for women surgeons is pregnancy and motherhood, as the timing often overlaps with career advancement. Traditionally, the parent considered most responsible for childrearing in Japan is the mother. In fact, until relatively recently, it was believed that children should be raised only by their mother until the age of three. This extreme has changed, but there are still concerns that women * Kazumi Kawase [email protected] Extended author information available on the last page of the article
doctors tend to leave their profession or decrease their workload when they start families. The results of a survey of all members of the JSS showed clearly that women surgeons who have children tend to work part-time hours, fewer hours, and less on-ca
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