Female surgeons are navigating the prime of both their professional and reproductive lives, leading to unique challenges when it comes to starting a family. Due to the lengthy nature of surgical training, female surgeons are more likely to be of advanced maternal age at the time of pregnancy, increasing their risk for complications.1,2 In fact, poor maternal health outcomes are common in this population, with some data suggesting that female surgeons experience double the national average of complications such as preterm labor, preeclampsia, and postpartum hemorrhage.3

Advanced maternal age, high-stress environments, and the rigorous physical demands of surgery place female surgeons at a higher risk for adverse obstetrical outcomes.4 Additionally, the demands of the surgical profession often make forward family planning more complex. These surgeons often balance their training schedules with fertility concerns, which may include navigating infertility treatments, planning pregnancies around critical career milestones, and the financial burdens that accompany both.5, 6, 7 For those who do conceive, birth-related leave brings its own set of challenges, from physical recovery to reentering a high-stakes, fast-paced environment like the operating room (OR).

As these women return to the OR, they face additional challenges beyond the immediate physical recovery. Balancing breastfeeding and pumping, sleep deprivation, hormonal changes, and the emotional toll of postpartum recovery are just a few examples. Moreover, these realities are exacerbated by societal and institutional pressures, with limited accommodations for new mothers in surgical training programs.5,8, 9, 10, 11 This manuscript seeks to explore the specific experiences and challenges female surgeons face when returning to the operating room after birth-related leave, offering insights into how the surgical community can better support this vital population.