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The current law on the protection of expectant and nursing mothers largely rules out surgical activities during pregnancy for female doctors who perform surgical roles in hospitals. The proportion of female junior staff in gynaecology amounts to 80 %, and, for many of these women, surgical further training is not possible following official notification of an existing pregnancy. In a Germany-wide survey of female gynaecologists and surgeons using a questionnaire, it was determined to what extent female doctors worked in surgery during pregnancy, whether it led to complications in the pregnancy, when the employer was notified about the pregnancy, and what desire for change there is with regard to the law on the protection of expectant and nursing mothers. The data from 164 female doctors, of which 136 are gynaecologists and 28 surgeons, was evaluated. On average, the pregnancy was announced during the 14th week of pregnancy (WOP), and the doctor was not allowed to perform surgical activities in the 21st WOP. Female doctors in higher professional roles tended to announce the pregnancy later and ended their surgical activities later. There was no link between the time of ceasing surgical activities and an increased occurrence of complaints or complications during the pregnancy. In total, only 53 % of respondents had an appraisal during pregnancy and 75 % wanted a change in the law on the protection of expectant and nursing mothers.Das aktuelle Mutterschutzgesetz schließt eine operative Tätigkeit während der Schwangerschaft für in der Klinik operativ tätige Ärztinnen weitestgehend aus. Der Anteil der Berufseinsteigerinnen liegt in der Gynäkologie bei 80 %, für viele dieser Frauen ist die operative Weiterbildung nach offizieller Mitteilung einer bestehenden Schwangerschaft nicht möglich. In einer deutschlandweiten Umfrage unter Gynäkologinnen und Chirurginnen wurde anhand eines Fragebogens u. a. ermittelt, inwieweit Ärztinnen in der Schwangerschaft operativ tätig waren, ob es zu Komplikationen in der Schwangerschaft kam, wann die Schwangerschaft dem Arbeitgeber mitgeteilt wurde und welche Änderungswünsche bez. des Mutterschutzgesetzes bestehen. Die Daten von 164 Ärztinnen, davon 136 Gynäkologinnen und 28 Chirurginnen, wurden ausgewertet. Die Schwangerschaft wurde im Mittel in der 14. Schwangerschaftswoche (SSW) bekanntgegeben, ein Ausschluss aus der operativen Tätigkeit erfolgte in der 21. SSW. Ärztinnen in höheren beruflichen Positionen gaben tendenziell später die Schwangerschaft bekannt und beendeten später die operative Tätigkeit. Es bestand kein Zusammenhang zwischen dem Zeitpunkt des Ausscheidens aus der operativen Tätigkeit und einem vermehrten Auftreten von Beschwerden oder Komplikationen während der Schwangerschaft. Insgesamt führten nur 53 % der Befragten in der Schwangerschaft ein Personalgespräch und 75 % wünschten sich eine Änderung des Mutterschutzgesetzes.

Purpose: Nowadays, most gynaecologists are female and the compatibility of job-related career and family life is an upcoming issue. The working group “Gender and Career” of the German Society for Gynaecology and Obstetrics (DGGG) designed a survey to reflect the present situation with a focus on the compatibility of career and family. Material and Methods: A web-based 74-item survey was filled out by members of the DGGG. In total, there were 1037 replies, 75 % female (n = 775) and 25 % male (n = 261) gynaecologists. Results: 62 % of the female and 80 % of the male respondents had already finished their doctoral theses and 2 % female and 13 % male had finished their PhD. Mean number of children was 1.06 (SD 1.08) in female and 1.68 (SD 1.34) in male gynaecologists. The majority of females desired day care for their children, but only 5 to 13 % of employers offer any day care. 88 % of the female and 72 % of the male physicians think that job-related career and family are not compatible. Conclusion: The majority of female gynaecologists wished to have professional child care, but most employers or other institutions do not offer this. This might be one of the reasons why career and family appear incompatible.