Safety, Wellness, and Logistics for the Pregnant Surgeon

Presented by Stephanie Bonne, MD, FACS
(Recorded March 2017)

Through this webinar, viewers will learn what some of the risks are to the fetus and mother that may be encountered in routine surgical practice, such as radiation exposure and exposure to teratogenic medications, as well as ergonomic issues that surround operating while pregnant. We discuss strategies to mitigate these risks. We also discuss the logistics of managing a practice and strategies to support pregnant and nursing mothers who are in surgical practice and ways to mitigate the impact of time off on your practice.

Learning Objectives

In this webinar, you will hear about:

• The amount of safe radiation to be sustained during pregnancy, and ways to monitor and minimize the effects of radiation on a fetus
• Some medications encountered in routine surgical practice that may be dangerous to a pregnant surgeon, and how to minimize exposure to these medications
• Ergonomic issues faced by surgeons and strategic ways to adapt the operating room to the needs of a pregnant surgeon
• Issues faced in taking maternity leave while in training, academic practice or private practice and ways to minimize the impact of maternity leave on your practice

About Stephanie Bonne

Stephanie Bonne, MD, FACS, is a trauma and critical care surgeon at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, NJ. She completed her medical school at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and her surgery training at the University of Illinois Metropolitan Group. She completed her fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, where she remained on the faculty before coming to New Jersey. She has three children, one born in residency, one in fellowship, and one as an attending surgeon. She recently moderated a panel at the American College of Surgeons 2016 Clinical Congress to discuss ergonomics and safety for pregnant surgeons.