Surgery, pregnancy and parenthood

• paid leave to attend all your maternity appointments, including parenting classes;
• decide whether to adjust your duties for X-ray exposure;
• decide what is right for you, for example when to stop on calls or night shifts.

Remember to submit a MATB1 certificate to your employer. This will be provided by your GP or midwife at 20 weeks, and enables you to claim Statutory Maternity Pay.

Find out more about pregnant employees' rights.

Every pregnancy is different, and the pressures of surgical training make planning and communication more complex than in many other roles. This guidance is designed to help surgical residents, their supervisors, and their departments navigate pregnancy at work with clarity and confidence. 

There are several different leave options available to surgical professionals. The links in our resources section provide full detail for your specific circumstances. 

Maternity leave

As an NHS employee, you are entitled to maternity leave of up to 12 months. You can start your leave 11 weeks before your baby is due, and you will continue to accrue pension contributions and annual leave throughout. 

• You must notify your employer in writing of your intended start date at least 15 weeks before the baby is due. 
• You can attend optional, paid keep-in-touch days if agreed with your employer. 
• If made redundant while on maternity, adoption, or shared parental leave, or up to 18 months after the child is born or adopted, you should be given priority for other vacancies. 

Paternity leave

You may be eligible for up to two weeks of paternity leave. You can take this as a single two-week block or two separate one-week blocks, at any point during the first year after the birth or adoption placement. 

• As of April 2026, you can give notice of paternity leave from day one of employment. 
• You must notify your employer of your intended start date and duration at least 28 days before the leave begins. 
• You can take up to 52 weeks of unpaid leave if the mother or primary caregiver passes away before the child's first birthday. 
• Eligible employees can now take statutory paternity leave and pay after taking shared parental leave. 

Note: while paternity and unpaid parental leave are available from day one of employment, the continuous service requirement to qualify for Statutory Paternity Pay remains 26 weeks. 

Other types of leave 

How you become a parent shapes which leave entitlements apply to you. The framework below covers the main routes, including those most relevant to LGBTQ+ families. 

Shared parental leave is available to eligible couples, including same-sex couples who want to share leave and pay in the weeks following a birth or adoption. Both partners can take leave at the same time or in turns, giving families flexibility in how they divide caring responsibilities. 

Adoption leave mirrors maternity leave in its length and structure. One adoptive parent can take up to 52 weeks of adoption leave; the other is entitled to paternity leave. This applies equally to same-sex couples adopting jointly. 

Parental order leave is available to intended parents following a surrogacy arrangement. Where a parental order is granted, the intended parents are entitled to adoption-equivalent leave and pay, regardless of whether they are a same-sex or opposite-sex couple. 

Parental leave (unpaid) is available to employees with at least one year's service, entitling them to up to 18 weeks' unpaid leave per child to care for a child up to their 18th birthday. 

Co-parenting and donor-conception arrangements do not carry automatic statutory leave entitlements for non-legal parents. If this applies to your situation, the BMA and Stonewall can provide guidance on what may be available to you in practice. 

Full details on entitlements and how to apply, including pay thresholds and notice requirements are on GOV.UK. 


Whether you are navigating childcare, unpredictable rotas, feeding schedules, or any other challenges that come with having children while working as a surgeon, the guidance below addresses the practical and professional challenges specific to you.  

After parental leave, you have the right to return to your job under your original contract, or you may choose to return less than full time. Planning ahead makes a significant difference. You can read more about flexible working options here. 

You must give your employer at least 28 days' notice of your intention to return. 

The health and safety rights of pregnant workers also apply if you are breastfeeding or have given birth within the last 12 months. If you are breastfeeding, plans for expressing milk, including a private space, time, and cool storage should be identified as part of a back-to-work assessment. 

Childcare arrangements should be planned ahead, with contingency plans in place for unexpected emergencies. 

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has return-to-practice guidance for anyone who has been away from work for over three months, for any reason.  

Before you return, consider: 

• Give at least 28 days' notice to your employer 
• Request a back-to-work assessment if breastfeeding or within 12 months of birth 
• Confirm childcare arrangements and have contingency plans ready 
• If absent for more than three months, read the AoMRC return-to-practice guidance 
• Consider whether you wish to return less than full time, you have the right to request this 

Returning to surgical training after parental leave is a significant transition practically, professionally, and sometimes emotionally. The guidance below is designed to help surgical residents plan their return, understand what support they are entitled to, and feel equipped to re-enter training with confidence rather than uncertainty.