Special situations: Performance of endoscopy while pregnant

Abstract

The rates of women entering the field of gastroenterology have been increasing over the past several years. Most of these women enter the field during childbearing years. At the same time, the procedural demands placed on endoscopists have been increasing as well. With these changes in demographics to the physicians performing endoscopy, more attention should be paid to the physical demands of scoping while pregnant. In this paper, we focus on several common, overlapping injuries that are frequently encountered during pregnancy and while performing endoscopy. Additionally, ergonomic modifications and strategies are outlined for both the pregnant and postpartum endoscopist. Given the lack of data in this area, dedicated studies aimed at this specific population would help guide further recommendations.