Male Doctors More Likely to Malpractice on Female Patients

Recent research and statistics paint a concerning picture for women’s medical care in the United States.  Women are 15% more likely to suffer a bad outcome when operated on by a male surgeon and 32% more likely to die than when a female surgeon operates.  Overall, when a female surgeon operates on any patient, regardless of gender, patient outcomes are better.  These statistics are true even when adjusted for differences in patient chronic health status, age, and other factors, and when undergoing the same surgical procedures.  The study analyzed many different types of surgeries from simple appendix and gall bladder removals to heart bypasses and brain surgery, and the statistics remain true across all types of surgery. 

Also concerning, the rate of maternal mortality in the U.S. was on the rise prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The rate of maternal mortality in the U.S. increased by more than 15% in 2019.  In 2018 there were 16.6 deaths per 100,000 live births, and that increased to 19.9 deaths per 100,000 in 2019.  The U.S. has a high maternal mortality rate compared to other high-income countries.  There are no statistics for maternal deaths when the delivering physician is a male versus a female.