One of my co-residents was telling me that legally, pregnant residents can't take call after 7 months. I had never heard that before. Does anyone know if it is true? I have a feeling it is not a law... possibly a hospital policy.

What have people's experiences been? How far into pregnancy do women typically continue overnight call?

I have never heard of that. It sounds like a great policy unless it means that you are going to have to make up all of those calls while you have a newborn at home.
It's no fun during that third trimester though. My water broke after an overnight call (at 37 weeks). I wasn't having contractions, and I thought that I was just so tired I had peed on myself.

I have never heard of that and took overnight call until I was around 37 weeks during my first pregnancy. It sounds a bit like wishful thinking. I was definitely glad I did as much call as possible before my first baby was born. It was much more difficult for me to be away from my daughter at night with call than having to deal with being hugely pregnant while on call.

Wow!

I am obgyn and I took q4 24 hour call until 39 1/7 in residency, and delivered 2 days later, and then took q6 24 hour call (48 hours on weekends) as an attending (in group practice) with my second up until 36 weeks (only because they didn't want to deal with juggling the call schedule since I would be out any time after that), and delivered at 40 3/7 after working in the office until the Friday when I was 40 1/7.

Oh, and I agree with above- if one has to cover the missed calls like I did, I recommend that one trade them for calls before the baby is born, instead of when one is back. No one likes extra call while pregnant, but it is better than missing a newborn!!!! Pumping gets old on call too...

Unless there are complications or problems, overnight call is ok!

never heard of that, either. As long as the back-up system is in place and won't hold a grudge, I'd take call as long as possible before birth - i'd much rather pre-partum call than post-partum.

I guess if you had to be THE crisis responder on call (ICU , codes, etc) you might be a little slow? but that shouldn't happen for a resident, and there are a lot of attendings who run slower than pregnant residents anyhow

No call past 7 months? What?!? I haven't heard of that either. Like Becco, I'm also an ob/gyn and took Q3 call (24 hr) up until I delivered (was actually in labor during a hysterectomy--one of the job hazards i guess). While being on call is never a picnic, it is much better to take call while still pregnant (provided you don't have contraindications to such, like preeclampsia, PTL, etc.) because making it up after the baby is born is very difficult.

Ditto what everyone else said-I delivered three babies the night before my water broke with my first-I remember thinking with each delivery-"That should be me!!" but it wasn't dangerous-I was just more tired and unwieldy and less sympathetic to my pregnant office pt's wanting work notes to get out of their 12 hours a week a Dunkin Donuts.

My call group had a backup call person for each of my call nights from 37 weeks on. With my third pregnancy I 'treated' myself to getting out of work at 39 weeks-and went a week late!! So I wasted two weeks of maternity leave...

I agree I would rather do the calls while pregnant than have to pay people back though...

SAme here, took call up until delivery each time. Also agree I would much ratehr take call pregnant than while nursing!! Maybe it is a state law or something? Or hospital policy?

it must be a hospital policy. I was a 3rd year student and took call (on my IM rotation, we took one night per week) and i was 33-36 wks. I was extra exhausted but otherwise ok. But when I returned after 4 wks post C-section, it was much worse, i could not think or focus on anything! Late pregnancy is much better than early post partum...anyday!

I agree with posts above. I was pregnant twice during peds residency and on-call about Q4-5 until delivery at 39 weeks. I did go into preterm labor with my first pregnancy and missed a weekend call--had to make it up, though. Pumping in the on-call room is not fun. My husband would bring the baby every night I had call, so I could breastfeed him. He also would pick up the milk I pumped. 15 minutes of family time made a HUGE difference for me emotionally.