Does gender discrimination exist in a gynecology training program in a private hospital?

PURPOSE: Does gender discrimination by attending physicians exists in a residency in regard to residents' opportunities to perform complete/operative management of hysterectomies versus just being surgical assistants? MATERIALS AND METHODS: The program studied is a 4-year program in obstetrics and gynecology residency with 3 residents per year. All cases involving a resident were recorded in a computer program designed by one of the authors (C.S.M.) to collect data for Residency Review Committee reports. Data were able to be sorted in a variety of methods including level of management, date of procedure, Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology codes, and attending physician name or resident name. Only intrafascial and extrafascial hysterectomies for benign disease were included in the study. Data were collected from July 1, 1996 to March 31, 1997. RESULTS: Five hundred and forty-nine hysterectomies with residents participating as primary surgeon (complete/operative management) or surgical assistant were performed during the study period. Complete/operative management was performed by the resident in 82.5% of cases while the resident was surgical assistant in 17.5%. Male residents were responsible for complete/operative management in 81.6% of cases and female residents in 83.2% of cases (P = 0.33). Male attending physicians were more likely to allow residents (male or female) to participate as the primary surgeon in abdominal hysterectomies (95.3%) and vaginal hysterectomies (68.5%) than female attending physicians (abdominal, 87.0% and vaginal, 57.3%) (P < 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although male attending physicians were more likely than female attending physicians to allow residents to perform complete/operative management, there was no discrimination as to whether the resident in question was male or female. PRECIS: When determining the level of management private gynecologists will allow residents to perform they do not practice gender discrimination.

Trisomy 21 fetus co-existent with a partial molar pregnancy: case report.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 1 in 1,000 pregnancies in the United States are complicated by the presence of a hydatidiform mole. A Medline search revealed no reported cases of a trisomic fetus co-existent from 1966-1998. We present the case of a patient, initially found to have hypertension, edema, and proteinuria in the first trimester, and later found to have a partial molar gestation co-existent with a trisomy 21 infant. CASE REPORT: A 31-year-old female presented to her family practitioner in the first trimester and was found to have hypertension and proteinuria. A thorough work-up by a nephrologist revealed no cause. The patient was transferred to the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Service at 26 weeks' and 1 day estimated gestational age. An amniocentesis revealed the presence of a fetus with trisomy 21. At 27 weeks' and 3 days estimated gestational age, the patient underwent a cesarean delivery for a non-reassuring fetal heart rate. Pathologic examination of the placenta revealed the presence of a partial hydatidiform molar pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The present account represents the first reported case of a fetus with trisomy 21 co-existent with a partial hydatidiform mole.

Non-gynecologic laparoscopy in second and third trimester pregnancy: obstetric implications.

PURPOSE: To review the effect of non-gynecologic laparoscopic procedures performed during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy on pregnancy outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A review of the patient log for the antenatal obstetrical unit was used to identify the patients in this series from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 1997. Medical records were then analyzed to identify estimated gestational age at surgery and delivery, type of delivery, use of tocolysis, and complications from surgery. RESULTS: Nine patients were identified as having non-gynecologic laparoscopic surgery (without conversion to laparotomy) during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. The median estimated gestational age at surgery was 25 weeks (mean 24 weeks). The most common procedure performed was laparoscopic cholecystectomy (6 patients). Five patients received tocolysis after the initial procedure. All patients delivered at greater than or equal to 37 weeks estimated gestational age (median 38 weeks). No infants were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic procedures appear safe in second and third trimester pregnancy. In this study, laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed as late as 34 weeks estimated gestational age without any adverse effects on pregnancy outcome.