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. 2023 Apr;43(4):518-522.
doi: 10.1038/s41372-022-01551-x. Epub 2022 Nov 5.

Gender analysis of Journal of Perinatology authorship during COVID-19

Lauren Gadek  1 , Christiane Dammann  2 , Renate Savich  3 , Christiana Mmuo-Oji  4 , Leonardo Barrera  5   6 , Patrick G Gallagher  7 , Kerri Machut  8   9
Affiliations

Gender analysis of Journal of Perinatology authorship during COVID-19

Lauren Gadek et al. J Perinatol. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To examine authorship gender distributions before and during COVID-19 in the Journal of Perinatology.

Study design: We collected data from the Journal of Perinatology website. The author gender was determined using Genderize.io or a systematic internet search. Our primary outcome was the difference between the number of published articles authored by women during the pandemic period (March 2020-May 2021, period two), compared with the preceding 15-month period (period one). We analyzed the data using chi-square tests.

Results: Publications increased from period one to two by 8.9%. There were slightly more female than male first (62%) and overall (53%) authors, but fewer last authors (43%) for the combined time periods. Female authorship distribution was not different between periods.

Conclusions: Though publications increased overall, authorship gender distribution did not change significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women authors remain underrepresented overall and specifically as last author, considering the majority of neonatologists are women.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Supplement.
Publication Funding and Authorship Gender. Each combination of first and last author gender for all funded and nonfunded publications submitted in the combined time period.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Supplement.
Co-publishing by Gender. Comparison of first and last author gender combinations in publications submitted during combined time period.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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