Breaking barriers: Analysing the professional landscape for female gynaecological surgeons in Italy

Objective: To examine the status of female gynaecological surgeons in Italy in terms of discriminatory practices and the availability of opportunities for improvement within the operating theatre. Methods: This study is a subanalysis of a comprehensive 83-item questionnaire, administered to 3242 female surgeons across various specialties from 1 November to 31 December 2020. This study focuses specifically on 219 female gynaecological surgeons in order to explore their unique experiences and challenges in surgical practice. Main outcome measures: Data concerning subjective satisfaction of respondents were collected. Satisfaction was evaluated using a five-point Likert scale. Data are presented using mean, median or frequency. Results: This subanalysis included 207 respondents. Among the respondents, 47 % reported that they had children, while 31 % had decided not to have children for professional reasons. Nearly half of the respondents (42 %) were trainees. Despite a considerable workload (mean working week of 45 h), 96 % of the respondents reported spending less than half of their working time in the operating theatre. They performed a median of two operations per week, compared with five operations for their male counterparts. Despite challenges, 65 % expressed a commitment to their career path. Conclusions: Efforts to address gender bias, promote work–life balance, and enhance female leadership representation are essential. These findings emphasize the need for systemic changes to create a supportive environment for female gynaecologists. Further research with broader sampling is warranted to fully understand and address these challenges.