Gender dynamics in authorship of scientific publications in obstetrics and gynaecology: a 10-year bibliometric analysis of six high-impact journals.

Abstract

Although obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) is a predominantly female specialty, previous studies have suggested that women remain under-represented in academic authorship. This study evaluates trends in female and male first and last authorship in six leading O&G journals (<i>Human Reproduction Update</i>, <i>American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology</i>, <i>British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology</i>, <i>Obstetrics and Gynecology</i>, <i>Gynecologic Oncology</i> and <i>Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology</i>) between January 2013 and December 2023. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Web of Science database. The gender of the first and last authors was determined using Genderize.io, with a probability threshold of ≥75% for classification. Binary logistic regression was performed to model the probability of authorship by gender across journals. Among 57 310 publications, 38 455 first (43.8% male and 56.2% female) and 38 950 last authors (58.6% male and 41.4% female) were identified and analysed. Over the past decade, female authorship has shown a clear upward trend, with first authorship increasing from 43% (1141/2636) in 2013 to 69% (2769/4036) in 2023, and last authorship increasing from 29% (770/2700) to 54% (2180/4047). First authorship was statistically more likely to be held by women in <i>Human Reproduction Update</i> (1.23, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.48), <i>American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology</i> (1.63, 95% CI 1.58 to 1.70) and <i>Obstetrics & Gynecology</i> (2.33, 95% CI 2.22 to 2.45). However, female last authorship was significantly more likely only in <i>Obstetrics & Gynecology</i> (1.21, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.27). Despite an increasing trend in female representation in first and last authorships over the past decade, a significant gender disparity persists. While women now constitute the majority of first authors, last authorship remains disproportionately male, reflecting ongoing barriers to female leadership in O&G research. These findings highlight the need for targeted institutional efforts to promote gender equity in academic medicine.