title: Pregnancy and Parental Leave During Graduate Medical Education.
abstract: To understand the pregnancy, childbirth, and parental leave plans and experiences of trainees in multiple graduate medical education (GME) programs at a single institution.
  
  
  
  In 2013, the authors developed and deployed a voluntary, Internet-based survey of trainees in 269 residency and fellowship programs across the three sites of the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education. The survey assessed pregnancy-related issues, including use of relevant institutional policies, changes in work due to pregnancy, and activities during pregnancy and parental leave. The authors analyzed the responses to make comparisons across groups.
  
  
  
  Forty-two percent (644/1,516) of trainees responded. Less than half (264; 41%) had children, and 46 (7%) were currently pregnant (themselves or their partners). Among parents, 24 (of 73; 33%) women and 28 (of 81; 35%) men planned to have another child during their current training program, and 13 (18%) women and 14 (17%) men planned to do so during their next training program. Among nonparents, 40 (of 135; 30%) women and 36 (of 111; 32%) men planned pregnancies during their current training program, and 25 (19%) women and 14 (13%) men planned pregnancies during their next training program. Of respondents eligible for parental leave, 81 (of 83; 98%) women and 89 (of 101; 88%) men had used it.
  
  
  
  Approximately 40% of respondents planned to have children during their GME training; most will require family leave and institutional support. GME programs should pursue policies and practices to minimize the effects of these leaves on their workforce.
authors.affiliation: J.E. Blair is a consultant, Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona, and professor of medicine, Mayo Medical School, Rochester, Minnesota. A.P. Mayer is a consultant, Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, and associate professor of medicine, Mayo Medical School, Rochester, Minnesota. S.L. Caubet is education and development analyst and program evaluator, Office of Leadership and Organization Development, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. S.M. Norby is a consultant, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, and associate professor of medicine, Mayo Medical School, Rochester, Minnesota. M.I. O'Connor was a consultant, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, and professor of orthopedics, Mayo Medical School, Rochester, Minnesota, at the time this study was conducted, and is director, Musculoskeletal Center, Yale-New Haven Hospital, and professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, now. S.N. Hayes is a consultant, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, and professor of medicine, Mayo Medical School, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Janis E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Anita P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Suzanne L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Caubet
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Norby
authors.forename: Mary I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Sharonne N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Hayes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001130:Arizona; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D016524:Parental Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires