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Background: Women in neurosurgery often have to delay pregnancy and child-rearing because the optimum time for having children overlap with an intense period of training and/or career advancement. The purpose of the study is to investigate the personal experiences of women neurosurgeons and understand the complex interaction between pursuing a career and embracing motherhood., Methods: We employed anonymized, semi-structured interviews with women actively involved in the field of neurosurgery. Person-to-person interviews were performed online via video call. Responses were grouped and analyzed with thematic analysis. We identified recurring patterns and insights in the interview responses., Results: We included twenty-one women neurosurgeons, at various career levels. Thematic analysis revealed diverse perspectives. More than half favored a delayed pregnancy announcement. The majority perceived a workplace, social stigma attached to pregnancy. Although most of them reported adequate support from their colleagues, several explained that the support was theoretical rather than practical. Many interviewees expressed their fears about losing their surgical skills, while 57.2% had concerns regarding their physical abilities during or after pregnancy. All but one felt that female neurosurgeons should not postpone or sacrifice motherhood for their career. However, alternative paths within neurosurgery could be an option., Conclusions: Finding a way to combine a career in neurosurgery with pregnancy can be very challenging and may be vital to keep attracting quality professionals to the field. Efforts should be made to maintain the balance between career and home and to facilitate greater flexibility at the workplace for women who are pregnant and/or child-rearing., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Neurosurgeons may resort to caffeine, alcohol, and various drugs to maintain peak performance as they grapple with work demands and escalated stress. The prevalence of this controversial strategy remains largely unexplored., Methods: An anonymous survey of 23 questions formulated by our research group was distributed through personal contacts and neurosurgical societies. Inquiries revolved around the use of medications and other substances for job-related reasons. Data were analyzed via regression and descriptive statistics in python., Results: In total, 215 neurosurgeons (43 residents) were included, with 213 disclosing their gender (94 females). Out of all, 9.3% were <30, 38.1% were 30-39, 44.6% were 40-59, and 7.9% were >60 years old. Most (70.7%) practiced in Europe, 18.6% in Asia, 6.5% in North and South America, and the rest in Africa or Australia. While 132 participants stated they consume caffeine to manage challenging schedules, drugs for cognitive and mood enhancement were utilized by 18 and 35 respectively. Alcohol was employed for stress relief by 28 with 4 reporting as heavy drinkers. Drugs posed a solution to sleep disorders for 82, and helped 8 others in strengthening their hand dexterity. Notably, 12 of those claiming drug use initiated it in medical school. Exercise, self-care activities, and relational support were the main alternatives sought. Ultimately, most responders recommended extending mental health assistance and raising awareness about drug use., Conclusions: Reflecting on our results on job-associated drug use by neurosurgeons, we propose the judicious use of pharmacological or nonpharmacological adjuncts, alongside the prioritization of neurosurgeons' well-being., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Neurosurgery is one of the most demanding medical specialties. For neurosurgeons, balancing professional activity with personal life can be challenging., Research Question: To evaluate gender differences in contribution of neurosurgeons in the household and child-rearing, as well as their impact on personal life and career., Material and Methods: An anonymous, electronic, 59-item web-based survey was administered to National Neurosurgical Societies of Europe, and European Member Societies of the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (June-October 2021)., Results: A total of 205 European neurosurgeons (87 females and 118 males, mean age 40.7) are included in our survey. In neurosurgery, females are significantly more likely to be alone (37.9%), while males are significantly more likely to have children (66.9%). In terms of household efforts, females spend more time than males on the same tasks. Most participants (71.2%) view gender issues as a disadvantage in career pursuing. Women feel less accepted (54.3%) and having fewer opportunities (58.6%), while men believe that pregnancy/child-rearing (65.8%) and having many roles (51.3%) are the main obstacles. Both genders (77.6%) favor more convenient working conditions for young parents. Discussion and Conclusion. In our study we found that, women neurosurgeons take more responsibilities at home, especially in the child-rearing years. Female neurosurgeons are more likely to live alone or stay childless more often compared to their male colleagues. Supportive facilities, flexible programs, universal life policies and presumably curbing of the social stereotypes are of importance to overcome gender inequities that women are still facing in neurosurgery., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Working with DS patients in primary, specialty, and acute care health settings has always been a demanding task for the busy practitioner. The associated medical conditions, developmental demands, and educational demands makes it challenging for pediatric care providers to address all the specific details for each age group. The purpose of this two-part Practice Guideline is to streamline this process. Part One has summarized the care of the patient with DS until the age of 1 year. Part Two will focus on care from the child's first birthday until he or she transitions to adulthood.