Pregnant Surgeons’ Musculoskeletal Pain

The study delves into work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMD) among pregnant surgeons, an understudied area. Surveying 53 pregnant surgeons, it revealed that almost all of them (94.7%) experienced an exacerbation of WRMD symptoms due to workplace activities. Over 13% had to take unplanned time off work. Strikingly, beyond 24 weeks of pregnancy, a majority continued surgeries, extended shifts, and heavy lifting, and no institutional pregnancy-specific surgical ergonomics policies were in place. These findings emphasize the need for attention to surgical ergonomics during pregnancy and institutional policy development.