>25% of female physicians deal with infertility- which other professions have similar highs?

[Anonymous]

https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/fulltext/2020/05000/physician_fertility__a_call_to_action.13.aspx?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2P2lPhTwq93xXa_kwcPGq5xOH8Ojx19YYKxkDdbMdKjacmo60ae-O0cfE_aem_OraXs9Hvv33ugXuN89YvKQ#:~:text=Estimates%20suggest%20that%201%20in,in%20the%20U.S.%20general%20population.&text=Physician%20fertility%20and%20family%20planning,%2C%20residency%2C%20or%20subsequent%20practice

Estimates suggest that 1 in 4 female physicians will suffer from infertility,1 well above the estimated incidence (9%–18%) in the U.S. general population.2 Physician fertility and family planning, however, are rarely discussed as part of formal education during medical school, residency, or subsequent practice. While pregnancy and its potential medical and career development consequences among physicians have been explored in the literature, infertility and its consequences remain understudied and unaddressed.

The most comprehensive study of physician fertility to date found that a substantial percentage of female physicians would have attempted to conceive earlier (53.3%) or would have used cryopreservation to preserve fertility (16.7%) had they known infertility would be an issue.1 Another study reported that many female academic professionals who postponed childbearing to allow for professional advancement ended up “involuntarily childless” due to misconceptions about the risk of infertility.3 Though studies have not specifically explored fertility in male physicians, transgender physicians, single physicians, or physicians with same-sex partners, fertility issues are important for all physicians hoping to start families.

[Anonymous]

I want to know what the causes of the difference are.

I think they need to pay residents better and give them more humane shifts instead of giving subsidized egg banking.

I know someone who had subsidized corporate fertility egg banking as a single woman. She got a lot of expensive care that was subsidized but she said somehow it was considered income and she was going to have pay income tax on the amount of her paid-for care. Because it was considered optional, not medically necessary.

The problems need to be fixed at the source (working conditions) not patched.

[Anonymous]

One shouldn't have to chose, system needs fixing so people can do both, live their lives and build their careers.

[Anonymous]

For tenure track professors in all areas — the frequency is terrifying.

[Anonymous]

Yes I’m a doctor and so many reasons:

Our work hours make it hard to get pregnant
When we get pregnant we are still expected to work long hours. Some residency programs have their pregnant residents work 24-28 hours straight so that increases miscarriages
Ppl don’t want to deal with having babies during residency and training so they wait until after when they are in late 30s

So it’s not surprising

[Anonymous]

Probably also:
Academia
Lawyers

...any profession with extended training requirements and education

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One shouldn't have to chose, system needs fixing so people can do both, live their lives and build their careers.

The patriarchy has no interest in addressing this issue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes I’m a doctor and so many reasons:

Our work hours make it hard to get pregnant
When we get pregnant we are still expected to work long hours. Some residency programs have their pregnant residents work 24-28 hours straight so that increases miscarriages
Ppl don’t want to deal with having babies during residency and training so they wait until after when they are in late 30s

So it’s not surprising

But did you know? The article says “had they known….” Why didn’t they, doctors, get caught off guard that delaying pregnancy might be an issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes I’m a doctor and so many reasons:

Our work hours make it hard to get pregnant
When we get pregnant we are still expected to work long hours. Some residency programs have their pregnant residents work 24-28 hours straight so that increases miscarriages
Ppl don’t want to deal with having babies during residency and training so they wait until after when they are in late 30s

So it’s not surprising

But did you know? The article says “had they known….” Why didn’t they, doctors, get caught off guard that delaying pregnancy might be an issue?

I had kids during med school and residency because I didn’t want to deal with infertility. Most women in medicine / medical school are very type A and career driven and want to achieve certain goals before having kids. Like for example, I didn’t pursue a higher paying speciality because of my kids. Most of my residency classmates are not willing to make that compromise. So they know but willing to take the risk of infertility for their careers.

[Anonymous]

"they had to know . . ."

I think in general this is a problem for many younger people. What sounds amazing in your 20s and 30s frequently isn't worth the price you have to pay later.

I have a demanding and very fulfilling career. When I was younger, it filled me, I didn't need anything else. FF to 40 and I was like, hmmm, maybe I would like more, but I still loved my career. Now at 50, having kids hasn't worked out. It is sad and I know it will get worse once I stop working. But I also don't know that I could have been a good mother, either. I couldn't have mommy tracked and been as successful as I've been.

[Anonymous]

common amongst my peers with phds... this wasn't about not knowing. I didn't finish school until I was 30 and unfortunately didn't meet my partner until 34.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes I’m a doctor and so many reasons:

Our work hours make it hard to get pregnant
When we get pregnant we are still expected to work long hours. Some residency programs have their pregnant residents work 24-28 hours straight so that increases miscarriages
Ppl don’t want to deal with having babies during residency and training so they wait until after when they are in late 30s

So it’s not surprising

But did you know? The article says “had they known….” Why didn’t they, doctors, get caught off guard that delaying pregnancy might be an issue?

Also a doctor - didn’t try to have kids until 34 (which isn’t really that old), and ended up needing IVF. Turns out I had extensive endometriosis, and didn’t even realize how bad it had become over the years since I was constantly exhausted and uncomfortable anyway!

I knew perfectly well that it might not work out, but we just could not afford childcare.

My husband (who is a few years younger than me) had a fairly good job (15 years ago he was making ~80K) and I was making 40-50K as a resident and fellow (6 years after med school). But we needed a nanny if we had kids because my schedule was insane and he had a horrible commute (thanks to the fact that residencies are a match - you enter a sort of lottery and it can be hard to get into a program near your spouse’s job). But we could not afford a nanny, and there’s no guaranteed or affordable or extended day childcare for housestaff at Hopkins. So we waited.

It took 5 years and was very stressful, but it worked out.

I tell my kids now that if they ever want kids but don’t have the money for childcare then I will pay! Do not let that be the barrier! Our parents wouldn’t help us, saying that we were adults and they were done helping us on principle, but they almost principled themselves out of grandchildren.

[Anonymous]

I’m also committed to helping my future adult child with childcare (expenses or providing it myself). Childcare expenses and work intensity limited our ability to have the family we wanted at the appropriate biological age. I could afford to freeze my eggs, but couldn’t afford a baby. Now at 40+ we are financially secure with regular schedules and going through the process of thawing those eggs, located far away, and doing IVF. It’s a stressful lengthy ordeal.

I would do anything in my power for childcare not to be a barrier for my children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes I’m a doctor and so many reasons:

Our work hours make it hard to get pregnant
When we get pregnant we are still expected to work long hours. Some residency programs have their pregnant residents work 24-28 hours straight so that increases miscarriages
Ppl don’t want to deal with having babies during residency and training so they wait until after when they are in late 30s

So it’s not surprising

But did you know? The article says “had they known….” Why didn’t they, doctors, get caught off guard that delaying pregnancy might be an issue?

Also a doctor - didn’t try to have kids until 34 (which isn’t really that old), and ended up needing IVF. Turns out I had extensive endometriosis, and didn’t even realize how bad it had become over the years since I was constantly exhausted and uncomfortable anyway!

I knew perfectly well that it might not work out, but we just could not afford childcare.


Similar situation as you but I'm in academia. Had a child during PhD which has more time flexibility than a medical resident but those were some financially tight years.

My husband (who is a few years younger than me) had a fairly good job (15 years ago he was making ~80K) and I was making 40-50K as a resident and fellow (6 years after med school). But we needed a nanny if we had kids because my schedule was insane and he had a horrible commute (thanks to the fact that residencies are a match - you enter a sort of lottery and it can be hard to get into a program near your spouse’s job). But we could not afford a nanny, and there’s no guaranteed or affordable or extended day childcare for housestaff at Hopkins. So we waited.

It took 5 years and was very stressful, but it worked out.

I tell my kids now that if they ever want kids but don’t have the money for childcare then I will pay! Do not let that be the barrier! Our parents wouldn’t help us, saying that we were adults and they were done helping us on principle, but they almost principled themselves out of grandchildren.

[Anonymous]

Part of the problem that I see in my friend group is Peter Pan husbands who know about IVF and go into marriage insisting that their wife will “just” freeze her eggs. These men are open that they won’t even consider kids until 35+. They have no idea about the risks of infertility or the effect of fertility treatments on women’s bodies and just aren’t interested in learning. Most of the men I know with very successful careers didn’t even consider kids or marriage until they were close to 40, and they forced their partners to wait along with them pretending it would just work out.