Experiences with Pregnancy and Child-Rearing, Advice for Future Mothers, and Suggestions for Improving the System: A Qualitative Study of Women in Neurosurgery

Introduction: Neurosurgery is among the most demanding and time-consuming occupations, and with diversity and inclusion initiatives only recently increasing the number of women in the field, efforts still need to be made to help neurosurgery become more accommodating for pregnancy and child-rearing. Thus, the present study sought to be the first to investigate this issue through in-depth qualitative interviews of women in neurosurgery.

Methods: A total of 33 female neurosurgeons participated in semi-structured Zoom interviews. Co-coding and thematic analysis were conducted with interview transcripts to determine themes and corresponding sub-themes with regards to these women’s experiences with pregnancy and child-rearing, advice for future mothers in neurosurgery, and suggestions for improving the field of neurosurgery for those desiring children.

Results: Among the 33 participants, 22 (66.7%) had given birth to or adopted at least one child, had at least one stepchild, or were pregnant at the time of the interview. Three themes emerged regarding these 22 women’s experiences with pregnancy and child-rearing: (1) challenges with physiological changes of pregnancy, (2) feelings of guilt and anxiety, and (3) reliance on loved ones for childcare. Three themes emerged among these 22 women’s advice for future mothers in neurosurgery: (1) set realistic expectations, (2) take control of your schedule, and (3) no “right” time to start a family. Finally, two themes emerged among all 33 participants’ suggestions for making neurosurgery more feasible for pregnancy and child-rearing: (1) revamping of on-site resources and (2) improved guidance on family planning, childbearing, and maternity leave. The most prominent sub-theme in our study was a call for improved on-site daycare under the “revamping of on-site resources” theme, with a particular emphasis on 24/7 hours of operation.

Conclusion : Our data has illustrated themes of the experiences and thoughts of women in a field where pregnancy and child-rearing are arguably the most challenging of any occupation. Our results may be useful in guiding system-wide changes that may improve the field of neurosurgery for current and future mothers.