Female physicians may experience unique challenges regarding fertility and family planning. We sought to determine childbearing patterns and decision-making among American female physicians.
Materials and Methods
In 2012-2013, we surveyed a random sample of 600 female physicians who graduated medical school between 1995 and 2000. Primary outcome measures included fertility and childbearing history, reflections regarding decision-making, perceptions of workplace support, and estimations of childbearing potential.
Results
Response rate was 54.5% (327/600). A majority (82.0%) of the sample were parents, 77.4% had biological children with an average of 2.3 children. Average age at medical school graduation was 27.5 years, at completion of training (completion of medical school, residency, and/or fellowship) was 31.6 years, and at first pregnancy was 30.4 years. Nearly one quarter (24.1%) of respondents who had attempted conception were diagnosed with infertility, with an average age at diagnosis of 33.7 years. Among those with infertility, 29.3% reported diminished ovarian reserve. When asked what they would do differently in retrospect, most respondents (56.8%) would do nothing differently regarding fertility/conception/childbearing, 28.6% would have attempted conception earlier, 17.1% would have gone into a different specialty, and 7.0% would have used cryopreservation to extend fertility. Fewer of those whose first pregnancy was in medical school perceived substantial workplace support (68.2%) than those whose first pregnancies followed training (88.6%).
Conclusions
A substantial proportion of female physicians have faced infertility or have regrets about family planning decisions and career decision-making. Combining a medical career with motherhood continues to pose challenges, meriting further investigation and targeted support.
female physicians fertility childbearing infertility rates, women doctors infertility diminished ovarian reserve, delayed childbearing medical career female physician, infertility diagnosis age female doctors residency, physician mothers family planning regret workplace support, female physician childbearing decision-making survey, infertility prevalence women medical professionals, delayed conception training years female doctors, Stentz Jagsi female physicians fertility survey, age-related fertility decline women medical career
PMID 27347614 27347614 DOI 10.1089/jwh.2015.5638 10.1089/jwh.2015.5638
Cite this article
Stentz, N. C., Griffith, K. A., Perkins, E., Jones, R. D., & Jagsi, R. (2016). Fertility and Childbearing Among American Female Physicians. Journal of women's health (2002), 25(10), 1059-1065. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2015.5638
Stentz NC, Griffith KA, Perkins E, Jones RD, Jagsi R. Fertility and Childbearing Among American Female Physicians. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2016;25(10):1059-1065. doi:10.1089/jwh.2015.5638
Stentz, Natalie Clark, et al. "Fertility and Childbearing Among American Female Physicians." Journal of women's health (2002), vol. 25, no. 10, 2016, pp. 1059-1065.
Shandley LM et al., 2023·Journal of women's health (2002)
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Bouchard TP et al., 2022·J Womens Health (Larchmt)
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Fertility AwarenessApp-Based MethodsFertility Awareness MethodsProspective Cohort Study
Digital fertility awareness-based methods of birth control are an attractive alternative to hormonal or invasive birth control for modern women. They are also popular among women who may be planning a pregnancy over the coming years and wish to learn about their individual menstrual cycle. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the Natural Cycles app at preventing pregnancy for a cohort of women from the United States and to describe the key demographics of current users of the app in such a cohort. This prospective real-world cohort study included users who purchased an annual subscription to prevent pregnancy. Demographics were assessed through answers to in-app questionnaires. Birth control effectiveness estimates for the entire cohort were calculated using 1-year pearl index (PI) and 13-cycle cumulative pregnancy probability (Kaplan-Meier life table analysis). The study included 5879 women who contributed an average of 10.5 months of data for a total of 5125 woman-years of exposure. The average user was 30 years old with a body mass index of 24 and reported being in a stable relationship. With typical use, the app had a 13-cycle cumulative pregnancy probability of 7.2% and a 1-year typical use PI of 6.2. When the app was used under perfect use, the PI was 2.0. The data presented in this study give insights into the cohort of women using this app in the United States, and provide country-specific effectiveness estimates. The contraceptive effectiveness of the app was in line with previously published figures from Natural Cycles (PI of seven for typical use and two for perfect use).