title: Knowledge, advice and attitudes toward women driving a car after caesarean section or hysterectomy: A survey of obstetrician/gynaecologists and midwives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women are given variable information about when to recommence driving after surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess obstetrician/gynaecologists' and midwives' knowledge, attitudes and advice about car driving after abdominal surgery including hysterectomy or caesarean section (CS).
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous SurveyMonkey™survey was distributed to accredited trainees and Fellows of the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and midwives registered with the Australian College of Midwives by email in November 2013. Demographic information, recommendations about driving, and reasoning behind these recommendations were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine hundred and seventy-seven clinician responses (15.8%) were analysed: 555 midwives, 92 trainees and 330 Fellows. Ninety-six percent gave advice about driving after surgery. Respondents considered pain (85.6%), medication (73.2%) and mobility (70.5%) the most important factors when advising on resumption of driving. After uncomplicated CS, 19% said they would advise a well woman that she could drive <4 weeks, 18% advised four weeks, 33% advised five to six weeks and 27% did not give a specific timeframe. Similar timeframes were given following hysterectomy. Of each professional group, trainees (49%) and midwives (48%) were more likely to advise waiting five to six weeks to resume driving compared with Fellows (9%) (P < 0.001). Although 71.5% of respondents thought that most women drove before four weeks, only 33.9% of respondents thought driving earlier than advice given was unsafe.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians frequently give advice about driving after surgery. This advice is inconsistent and many advise women not to drive for significant time periods. This study highlights the need for education and research about driving after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Population Perinatal Health Research, Kolling Institute, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia. Antonia.shand@sydney.edu.au.|Sydney Medical School Northern, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Antonia.shand@sydney.edu.au.|Department of Obstetrics, Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia. Antonia.shand@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Antonia W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Shand
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Population Perinatal Health Research, Kolling Institute, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.|Sydney Medical School Northern, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Department of Obstetrics, Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Margie E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Harpham
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lainchbury
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Lalla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Addiction Medicine, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Drug and Alcohol Services, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Population Perinatal Health Research, Kolling Institute, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.|Sydney Medical School Northern, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nassar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D001334:Automobile Driving; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects; D037001:Directive Counseling; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009520:New Zealand; D009774:Obstetrics; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: automobile; caesarean section; driving; hysterectomy