Career, Pregnancy and Childbirth of Japanese Women Physicians

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K02089
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gender
• Research Institution: Jikei University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Kawase Kazumi 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (50287306)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 野村 恭子 秋田大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (40365987) ; 野村 幸世 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 准教授 (70301819)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 妊娠出産 / 女性医師 / キャリア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To determine current conditions of pregnancy/childbirth among women physicians and the critical factors for female physicians to maintain their careers along the course of pregnancy/childbirth, a survey on three medical societies; the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine (IM), the Japan society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OG), and the Japan Society of Surgery (S); was conducted.
In total, 7,747 women (IM 5,454, OG 1,225, S 1,068) participated in this study with the response rate of 22.8%. Women doctors in S were more likely to have fewer numbers of children compared with those in IM and OG. The mean age at each childbirth was significantly older among women physicians was significantly older than the age in general population in Japan. Almost 40% of women physicians experienced harassments related sex/pregnancy/childbirth. Although various exemptions from work have been implemented during pregnancy, 20% of women left or changed their work after child delivery.

Free Research Field

ジェンダー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は3つの異なる専門分野（内科、産婦人科、外科）の女性医師の妊娠出産とキャリアに対する実態と考えを明らかにする目的で行った。その結果、専門分野間の類似点や相違点、わが国の一般女性との相違点などが明確となり、女性医師のキャリアに妊娠出産がどのように関係するかも推測できた。また、キャリアと少子化の関連も推察することができた。今回の研究結果より、女性医師に限らず専門的な教育を受けた女性が社会的に活躍し、キャリアを積み、持続的に社会貢献を続けるために必要な事は、キャリアのために出産を後回しにしなくても子供を産み育てつつもキャリアを積んでいける体制を構築することと考えられる。