DOI: 10.1097/gox.0000000000008197 ISSN: 2169-7574

Fertility and Obstetric Outcomes Among Procedural and Nonprocedural Physicians: A Call for Improved Fertility Education for Medical Students and Trainees

Elizabeth S. O’Neill, Aaron N. Hendizadeh, Quyen M. Diep, Wendy Chen, Christina Tragos, David Kurlander, Deana Shenaq
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Background:

Most physicians are in training during the time of known fertility decline, and trainees postpone parenthood for a variety of reasons. The aim of this study is to describe differences between the experiences of proceduralists versus nonproceduralists.

Methods:

An 11-item anonymous survey addressing experiences with pregnancy, fertility, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) was distributed to physicians (n = 2098) at 2 academic medical centers.

Results:

There was a 20% (n = 423) response rate. The median age was 31 years. Of the respondents, 293 (69%) were female. Two hundred seventy-six (66%) were trainees and 154 (36%) were proceduralists. Of 293, 137 (46.8%) female respondents reported having ever been pregnant. Of those, 55 (40%) reported pregnancy or obstetric complications. The overall birth rate was 2.57 (SD 0.95) live births per woman. Proceduralists had a lower number of live births (mean [SD], 2.3 [0.93] versus 2.7 [0.94]; P < 0.014). Of all respondents, 302 (72%) of 423 reported no prior education about fertility or ART. Proceduralists were significantly more likely to report never having received information on fertility and ART during residency (123 of 154 [80%] versus 179 of 269 [67%]; P = 0.007).

Conclusions:

We found a high prevalence of pregnancy and obstetric complications as well as pregnancy loss, with significantly fewer live births among proceduralists versus nonproceduralists. Medical school and residency curricula should include relevant fertility data and education to allow trainees to make informed decisions regarding family planning and fertility preservation.

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