The influence of lifestyle of OB/GYN female residents on gynecological and obstetrical outcomes: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To learn the influence of obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) female residents' lifestyle on obstetric and gynecological characteristics compared to women matched by age from the general population.

Study Design: A cross-sectional multicenter study including OB/GYN female residents from ten different hospitals in Israel, who completed an internet questionnaire published during 2017-2018, that were compared to women matched by age from the general population. Questions dealt with lifestyle habits, obstetrical and gynecological outcomes. Data are presented as median and inter-quartile range.

Results: During the study period 97 women completed the questionnaire, of them 56 (57.7%) OB/GYN female residents and 41(42.3%) controls. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups regarding age, marital status, gravidity and parity. However, lifestyle characteristics reported by OB/GYN female residents differed compared to controls: OB/GYN female residents found their work more stressogenic [53 (94.6%) vs. 20 (48.8%); p = 0.001], suffered from deprived sleep [42(75.6%) vs. 13(31.8%); p = 0.001], were less punctilious on dental hygiene [13(23.2%) vs. 27(65.8%); p = 0.001] and reported maintaining a less healthy diet [35(62.5%) vs. 15(36.6%); p = 0.003]. Despite these differences, general happiness reported by both groups was comparable (35(62.5%) vs. 27(65.9%) for OB/GYN and control women respectively; p = 0.73). Pregnancy rate was found to be more than double in the resident's group [30 (53.6%) vs. 9 (22%); p = 0.002], with no differences in the rates of: complications during pregnancy [51(91.1%) vs. 38(92.7%); p = 0.78]; abortions [10 (17.9%) vs. 8 (19.5%); p = 0.84]; augmentation of labor [5 (9%) vs. 7 (17.1%); p = 0.18]; or cesarean deliveries [7(12.5%) vs. 7(17%); p = 0.48]. Logistic regression analysis found both parity and residency as independent variables significantly associated with pregnancy rate [(B = 0.69, p = 0.047), (B = 1.95, p = 0.016), respectively].

Conclusion: Although resident women in OB/GYN reported on more adverse lifestyle parameters, comparable obstetric and gynecological outcomes were seen, with residency and parity being independently associated with higher pregnancy rate.