Statement of purpose Since its inception, the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics (IJGO) has had two primary purposes:

(1) to serve an international audience by publishing original scientific articles and communications originating in low-income countries which emphasize important obstetric and gynecologic problems, issues, and perspectives, such as maternal mortality and family planning; as well as publishing original articles and communications from the scientific community of high-income countries, with particular emphasis on sharing advances in the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology; and

(2) to further the organizational purposes of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) by providing a means of bringing to the readership decisions of the officers and executive board, reports of the standing committees of FIGO, and information from the FIGO Secretariat in the intervals between meetings of the executive board and the international congresses; and by providing information from the World Health Organization and those other important international organizations that deal with women's health and the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology.

Conflict of interest. All authors must sign the Author(s) Guarantee Form (available online at submission) and include a statement in the cover letter and before the reference section in the article itself to declare any conflicts of interest. The author(s) must guarantee: (1) that the article has not been published elsewhere; (2) it is not being considered for publication elsewhere; and (3) that it has been submitted with the full knowledge and approval of the institution or organization given as the affiliation of the author(s). Submission of multi-authored manuscripts implies the consent of each of the authors.

Open access. This journal offers you the option of making your article freely available to all via the ScienceDirect platform. To prevent any conflict of interest, you can only make this choice after receiving notification that your article has been accepted for publication and sent to production. The fee of $3,000 excludes taxes and other potential author fees such as color charges. In some cases, institutions and funding bodies have entered into agreement with Elsevier to meet these fees on behalf of their authors. Details of these agreements are available at http://www.elsevier.com/fundingbodies. Authors of accepted articles who wish to take advantage of this option should complete and submit the order form (available at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/openaccessform.pdf). Whatever access option you choose, you retain many rights as an author, including the right to post a revised personal version of your article on your own website. More information can be found here: http://www.elsevier.com/authorsrights

Submission. Authors must submit manuscripts online using the Elsevier Editorial Submission System (EES): ees.elsevier.com/ijg. Hard copy submissions will not be considered or returned. Once submitted, manuscripts undergo initial screening by the editorial staff and editors. To ensure timely processing of the high number of submissions received, papers that do not meet the journal's requirements will be declined at this stage, without peer review, and the authors will receive prompt notification. All other papers will be peer reviewed.

Authors must register using EES when submitting a manuscript, at which time they will be given a login and password for access to their Home Page (please remember this information and avoid creating duplicate accounts). Authors should send queries concerning the submission process or journal procedures to authorsupport@elsevier.com. Authors can check the status of their manuscript within the review process using EES. All correspondence, including notification of the Editor's decision and requests for revision, takes place by e-mail and via the Author's homepage.

Changes to Authorship
This policy concerns the addition, deletion, or rearrangement of author names in the authorship of accepted manuscripts:
Before the accepted manuscript is published in an online issue: Requests to add or remove an author, or to rearrange the author names, must be sent to the Journal Manager from the corresponding author of the accepted manuscript and must include: (a) the reason the name should be added or removed, or the author names rearranged and (b) written confirmation (e-mail, fax, letter) from all authors that they agree with the addition, removal or rearrangement. In the case of addition or removal of authors, this includes confirmation from the author being added or removed. Requests that are not sent by the corresponding author will be forwarded by the Journal Manager to the corresponding author, who must follow the procedure as described above. Note that: (1) Journal Managers will inform the Journal Editors of any such requests and (2) publication of the accepted manuscript in an online issue is suspended until authorship has been agreed.
After the accepted manuscript is published in an online issue: Any requests to add, delete, or rearrange author names in an article published in an online issue will follow the same policies as noted above and result in a corrigendum.

Guidelines for types of articles
Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). Submission of RCTs must include reference to ethics approval (or explanation of why ethics approval was not received). Authors must consult CONSORT checklist guidelines ( http://www.consort-statement.org/consort-statement) and include a flow chart as a Figure with the manuscript.

Clinical trial registration: As a condition of consideration for publication, all RCTs submitted after January 1, 2012, should be registered in free, public clinical trial registries. The trial registration number and registry website should be included at the end of the abstract.

Systematic reviews based on the following recommended guidelines and checklists will be given preference. Systematic reviews should follow the PRISMA guidelines. Meta-analysis of observational studies should follow the MOOSE guidelines.
Further information can be obtained from the EQUATOR web site: http://www.equator-network.org/resource-centre/library-of-health-research-reporting/reporting-guidelines

Useful resource
The EQUATOR Network website ( http://www.equator-network.org/home) explains what reporting guidelines are and why they are needed. It contains links to the checklists described above and provides useful guidance for authors and editors.

Layout of manuscripts
Full-length clinical articles should not exceed 2500 words in the body of text, excluding the title page, abstract (no more than 200 words), synopsis, keywords, figure legends, tables and figures, acknowledgments, and references (no more than 25). Please include the word count in the cover letter and on the title page of the manuscript. Subject matter should be organized under suitable headings such as Structured Abstract, Introduction, Materials and methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgments, and References. Footnotes should be avoided and their contents incorporated into the text. The first page should contain: (a) title; (b) full name(s) of author(s); (c) affiliation(s) of author(s) (i.e. department, section or unit of an institution, hospital or organization, city, state and/or country where it is located (please note street numbers and name are not required); (d) full contact details of the corresponding author; (e) a list of 3-6 keywords for indexing and retrieval; (f) synopsis no longer than 25 words, stating in one or two sentences the conclusions of the paper. The reference list should not exceed 25 references. Papers are published in English, using American spelling. The editors reserve the right to make any necessary editorial changes. Clinical research should include a statement that the study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board or other appropriate body.

Systematic review articles should adhere to QUOROM or MOOSE guidelines, with no more than 3000-3500 words and 40 references. A structured abstract of no more than 200 words is required and should include the following sections: Background; Objectives; Search Strategy; Selection criteria; Data collection and analysis; Main results; Conclusions.

Brief communications (including case reports) should be no more than 400 words in the body of text, excluding synopsis, keywords, figure legends, tables and figures, and references. There should be no more than 4 references, no more than 1 table or 1 figure, and no more than 3 authors.

Submission requirements The names of all authors should be listed on the Author(s) Guarantee Form, which is available at submission. There should also be a transmittal letter. After the article has been accepted for publication, the name of each author must also be listed on a Transfer of Copyright assigning the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics all rights to the manuscript to protect the author(s) and the IJGO from unauthorized use of the article's contents. The article's principal author is responsible for ensuring that all the necessary forms are completed.

Uniform requirements. The requirements of the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics are in accordance with the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: http://www.icmje.org/.

Abstracts. A structured abstract is required for all regular clinical articles. The structured abstract, limited to 200 words, should contain all and only the following major headings: Objective; Methods; Results and Conclusion. The clinical trials registration should be included at the end of the abstract. The Objective reflects the purpose of the study, that is, the hypothesis that is being tested. The Methods should include the setting for the study, the subjects (number and type), the treatment or intervention, and the type of statistical analysis. The Results include the outcome of the study and statistical significance, if appropriate. The Conclusion states the significance of the results. A structured abstract not exceeding 200 words is required for systematic review articles (Background; Objectives; Search Strategy; Selection criteria; Data collection and analysis; Main results; Conclusions).

Synopsis. The author should provide a one- or two-sentence synopsis, no longer than 25 words, of the conclusions of the paper for use in the table of contents. No acronyms or abbreviations may be included in the synopsis; these must be spelled out.

Acknowledgements. No personal acknowledgements are allowed. Only funding organizations may be acknowledged.

Conflict of interest. Authors should disclose any conflicts of interest, as described in the Author Guarantee Form, in a statement appearing before the references. If the authors have no conflicts to disclose then this should also be stated.

References. References should not exceed 25 in number and should in general be limited to the last decade. They must be numbered and listed as they are cited in the article, using Index Medicus abbreviations for journal titles. They should accord with the system used in Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: http://www.icmje.org/. List all authors, but if there are more than six, list first six plus et al. Include the volume and issue numbers.

[1] Vellacott ID, Cooke EJ, James CE. Nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Int J Gynecol Obstet 1988;27(1):57-9.
[2] Speroff L, Glass BH, Kase NG. Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins; 1982: 105.
[3] Disaia PJ, Creasman WT. Invasive cancer of the vulva In: Disaia PJ, Creasman WT, editors. Clinical Gynecologic Oncology. St. Louis: C.V. Mosby; 1984: 214-219.

Text references should be indicated by Arabic numerals in brackets: 'the incidence is similar to that in other reports [1,5,11,17]. Davies et al. [6] have reported ....' To avoid any delays in the editing process, authors must make every effort to see that each reference is correct and complete. Incomplete references will be returned to the principal author for completion before the manuscript is edited. All references must be in English. Citation information of those originally in other languages must be translated into English in the reference list. This journal should be cited as Int J Gynecol Obstet.

Editorial style. Arabic numerals should be used for weights, measures, percentages, and degrees of temperature. Weights and measures should be abbreviated according to the International System of Units: kg, g, mg, ?g, mmol, ?mol; m, cm, mm, ?m, nm, A, cm², mL, ?I; M, mM, ?M, nM; N; h, min, s, ms, ?s. Use % after numerals throughout. Give generic names of all pharmaceutical preparations and, where appropriate, include (in parentheses, following) the trade name and manufacturer's name and address. Give the manufacturer's name and address (in parentheses) following names of any instruments or equipment cited by brand name. Manuscripts not adhering to Instructions may be returned to author.

Tables. Each table should be titled, numbered (with Arabic numerals), and on a separate page. Only standard, universally understood abbreviations should be used. Authors should prepare tabular material in an easily readable form, eliminating tables presenting information that can easily be incorporated into the text. Tables should be referred to in the text as 'Table 1' etc. and approximate position indicated.

Figures and Photographs. All illustrations (line drawings and photographs) should be submitted as separate files, preferably in TIFF or JPEG format. Figures and photographs of good quality should be submitted online as a separate file (no less than 300 dpi). Please use a lettering that remains clearly readable even after reduction to about 66%. For every figure or photograph a legend should be provided; legends should be typed double-spaced and numbered consecutively in the order of their citation using Arabic numerals. If you submit usable color figures, Elsevier will ensure that these figures appear free-of-charge in color in the electronic version of your accepted paper, regardless of whether or not these illustrations are reproduced in color in the printed version. Color illustrations can only be included in print if the Author contributes the additional cost of reproduction: you will receive information regarding the costs from Elsevier after receipt of your accepted article. Please note that because of technical complications that may arise by converting color figures to 'grey scale' (for the printed version, should you not opt for color in print), you should submit in addition usable black and white figures corresponding to all color illustrations. All Authors wishing to use illustrations already published must first obtain the permission of the Author and publisher and/or copyright holders and give precise reference to the original work. This permission must include the right to publish in electronic media. Advice on the preparation of electronic artwork can be found at the following URL: www.elsevier.com/artworkinstructions.

Proofs
One set of page proofs (as PDF files) will be sent by e-mail to the corresponding author (if we do not have an e-mail address then paper proofs will be sent by post) or, a link will be provided in the e-mail so that authors can download the files themselves. Elsevier now provides authors with PDF proofs which can be annotated; for this you will need to download Adobe Reader version 7 (or higher) available free from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. Instructions on how to annotate PDF files will accompany the proofs (also given online). The exact system requirements are given at the Adobe site: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/acrrsystemreqs.html#70win.
If you do not wish to use the PDF annotations function, you may list the corrections (including replies to the Query Form) and return them to Elsevier in an e-mail. Please list your corrections quoting line number. If, for any reason, this is not possible, then mark the corrections and any other comments (including replies to the Query Form) on a printout of your proof and return by fax, or scan the pages and e-mail, or by post. Please use this proof only for checking the typesetting, editing, completeness and correctness of the text, tables and figures. Significant changes to the article as accepted for publication will only be considered at this stage with permission from the Editor. We will do everything possible to get your article published quickly and accurately. Therefore, it is important to ensure that all of your corrections are sent back to us in one communication: please check carefully before replying, as inclusion of any subsequent corrections cannot be guaranteed. Proofreading is solely your responsibility. Note that Elsevier may proceed with the publication of your article if no response is received.

Offprints
The corresponding author, at no cost, will be provided with a PDF file of the article via e-mail. The PDF file is a watermarked version of the published article and includes a cover sheet with the journal cover image and a disclaimer outlining the terms and conditions of use. Additional paper offprints can be ordered by the authors. An order form with prices will be sent to the corresponding author.

SUBMISSION CHECKLIST
Please check each item to be certain that the article is in compliance with the formation and requirements of the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. The checklist is available online at submission and must be completed by the author(s) for inclusion in the record.

TYPE OF ARTICLE: Please specify Clinical Article, Brief Communication, Review Article.

TITLE PAGE: This page should contain (a) title of the paper; (b) name(s) of author(s); (c) affiliation(s) of author(s); (d) full contact details of the corresponding author; (e) 3-6 keywords; (f) synopsis.

WORD COUNT: Include word count on cover letter and title page of manuscript.

NUMBER OF AUTHORS: Do not list more than six authors.

STRUCTURED ABSTRACT: The abstract should be no more than 200 words in length for clinical articles and systematic reviews.

SYNOPSIS: Provide a one- or two-sentence synopsis no longer than 25 words of the conclusions of the paper for the table of contents. Spell out all acronyms or abbreviations.

DRUG NAMES AND DOSAGES: Review drug names and dosages with care.The author is responsible for all recommended dosages. Use only generic names of all pharmaceutical preparations. The trade name and manufacturer's name and address may be included in parentheses following the first mention of the drug in the article.

FIGURES AND TABLES: Check that all figures, legends, and tables are submitted. Legends should be typed on a single separate page, figures and tables with Arabic numerals. Figures must be of publication quality, in black and white or color.

REFERENCES: Please use the IJGO format (see full Instructions to Authors). You should include no more than 25 references for clinical articles or 40 for systematic reviews, limited, in general, to the last decade, and all in English.

NAME AND ADDRESS FOR REPRINT REQUESTS: Use only initials, surname and mailing address. Do not include academic titles. To facilitate communication regarding this article, please provide: E-mail; Tel. no; Fax no.

AUTHOR(S) GUARANTEE FORM: This form should accompany the manuscript and include the full name of each author.

Funding body agreements and policies
Elsevier has established agreements and developed policies to allow authors whose articles appear in journals published by Elsevier, to comply with potential manuscript archiving requirements as specified as conditions of their grant awards. To learn more about existing agreements and policies please visit http://www.elsevier.com/fundingbodies

International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics has no page charges.