Objective 

To test the hypothesis that the observed difference in earnings between male and female obstetrician-gynecologists could be explained by variations in productivity and human capital.

Methods 

Data from a 1991 national survey of ACOG Fellows were used to provide a descriptive analysis of male and female obstetrician-gynecologists'demographic characteristics, net income, experience, practice characteristics, workload, and practice activities.

Variables found to have a significant impact on net income or to vary significantly by sex were included in a multiple regression analysis.

Results 

Twenty-one percent of the 1286 survey respondents were female obstetrician-gynecologists.

Women were almost twice as likely as men to be in salaried positions (P<. 001) and more than twice as likely to have less than 10 years of experience (P<. 001).

Women reported fewer annual patient-contact hours (P<. 05) and performed fewer than half as many hysterectomies (P<. 001).

Average annual earnings for women were 71% of men's annual net income (P<. 001).

Conclusion 

More than half of the overall male-female income gap was explained by differences in personal and practice characteristics.

However, female obstetrician-gynecologists earned 14.2% less than men, after controlling for variations in productivity and human capital. (Obstet Gynecol 1995 ; 86 : 112-18).