Comparison of embryologist stress, somatization and burnout reported by embryologists working in UK HFEA-licensed ART/IVF clinics and US ART/IVF clinics

STUDY QUESTION What is the prevalence of occupational stress, somatization, and burnout reported by UK and US, embryologists and the impact of work conditions on these well-being outcomes? SUMMARY ANSWER Surveyed UK and US embryologists reported moderate perceived stress, low somatic symptom severity, high levels of burnout, and overall stressful work conditions, but with differences that could be due to country-specific occupational and employment characteristics. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY? Spanish, UK, US, and international surveys have identified high levels of occupational stress, somatization, burnout, and occupational health issues among embryologists. These issues have been attributed to embryologists’ occupational challenges and work conditions. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A cross-sectional web-based survey was sent to 253 embryologists working in UK ART/IVF clinics and 487 embryologists working in US ART/IVF clinics. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Participants self-reported their stress levels, somatization, burnout, and work conditions. Proportions across the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15), Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), a single-item work unit grade (A–F), and customized occupational and sociodemographic questionnaires were calculated using descriptive statistics. Welch’s t-test was utilized to compare PSS and PHQ-15 scores between groups. Risk ratios were calculated using log-binomial regression for all models except for levels of anxiety related to performing cryostorage tasks, for which Poisson models were used. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE In total, 50.6% (128) of the embryologists in the UK and 50.1% (244) in the US completed the survey. Both groups self-reported moderate PSS and low PHQ-15 scores, although fewer UK embryologists scored high on the MBI cynicism dimension than their US colleagues (43% UK vs 60% US embryologists, P < 0.05). The UK and US embryologists did not differ on the MBI exhaustion dimension with both scoring high for exhaustion (59% UK vs 62% US). Although 81% and 80% of UK and US embryologists, respectively, reported working overtime, more embryologists in the UK reported being adequately compensated. Increasing levels of anxiety-related to cryostorage showed a dose-dependent increased risk of burnout on at least two MBI-GS dimensions only in the UK group, and, a dose-dependent likelihood of higher PSS and PHQ-15 scores in both groups. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Since the two groups were surveyed 9 months apart and were self-reporting, the study is limited by the differences in responsibilities, scheduling, and workload specific to the time of year. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Work-related health issues and occupational challenges shared by UK and US embryologists could be addressed by organizational enhancements and technology. Lower levels of stress and burnout among UK embryologists might be due to the HFEA-provided structure/certainty. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was supported without any external funding by TMRW Life Sciences Inc., which is developing and commercializing an automated platform for embryology. M.G.C. and M.S.L. are full-time employees and stockholders/shareholders with TMRW Life Sciences, and A.M. of Novavax, Inc. was an employee of TMRW Life Sciences. G.P. is a consultant for TMRW Life Sciences. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT05326802; NCT05708963

Comparison of embryologist stress, fatigue, and burnout currently reported by U.K. And U.S. Embryologists

OBJECTIVE To compare for the first time (1) the prevalence of stress, fatigue, and burnout among U.S. and U.K. embryologists; and (2) the current workflow and organizational characteristics of the embryology laboratory locally and how they affect embryologists’ physical and psychological health in the two independently conducted and previously reported surveys. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional web-based survey was sent to 487 embryologists working in U.S.-licensed ART/IVF public and private clinics in April 2022 and 253 embryologists working in Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA)–licensed U.K. ART/IVF public and private clinics in January 2023. Respondents self-reported their burnout and stress levels, physical health status, and work conditions they perceived as occupational using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15), a single-item work unit grade (A–F), and a customized occupational questionnaire. Weighted percentages for the reported physical and mental health components were calculated using univariate statistics; their means between the two groups were compared using Welch’s t-test and one-way ANOVA. RESULTS In total, 50.2% of the U.K. embryologists (mean age 34.4 years; 87% women; 83% with a graduate degree) and 50.5% of the U.S. embryologists (mean age 40.1 years; 65% women; 57% with a graduate degree) completed the survey; 93% of the U.K. v. 76% of the U.S. embryologists had a permanent contract, and 93% v. 80% of them, respectively, worked in the laboratories with ≥5 persons. Of those, 59% of the U.K. and 62% of the U.S. embryologists reported high burnout on the exhaustion dimension (P 0.05), and the PHQ-15 showed low somatic symptom severity (P > 0.05) in both groups. Regarding organizational characteristics, although 81% and 80% of U.K. and U.S. embryologists, respectively, reported working overtime, more U.K. embryologists reported being adequately compensated for working overtime/holidays/weekends and better scheduling flexibility than their U.S. colleagues. Although only 58% U.K. embryologists found themselves doing double work due to a lack of technology integrations and analog records v. 72% of their U.S. colleagues, half of the respondents in both groups reported cryostorage-related anxiety. CONCLUSIONS Both U.K. and U.S. embryologists reported low somatic symptom severity, moderate perceived stress, high levels of burnout, and stressful working conditions that negatively affect their well-being and may adversely affect the quality of their work but with differences in their organizational and employment characteristics