ANZJOG is growing

It is my great pleasure to lead the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ANZJOG; the Journal) into its 65th year as the College’s flagship scientific publication. The Journal continues to grow, with a rise in submissions again in 2024, leading to an increased number of publications. This growth is essential not only for the Journal’s sustainability but also for advancing high-quality, evidence-based care for our patients. Additionally, it provides a valuable platform for the academic development of our junior clinicians and scientists.

Wiley to continue as ANZJOG publisher

Recently, the College completed a tender process for ANZJOG’s publisher and we’re pleased to reappoint Wiley. Wiley has now published the Journal for over 20 years and brings a wealth of local knowledge to the Australian and New Zealand scientific publishing forum. Wiley plans to introduce several initiatives aimed at improving the publication experience for authors and readers.

Open access expanded

Open Access will continue to expand, broadening the reach of published articles, providing robust financial security for the Journal and reducing costs for RANZCOG members. With expanded support under the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) agreement, authors affiliated with participating universities and health services can access subsidised Open Access publications. However, ANZJOG will remain a hybrid publication for now, allowing those without such affiliations to publish their work without article processing charges. RANZCOG members will continue to have full ANZJOG access as a benefit of membership.

Making article submission easier

Wiley has introduced the Research Exchange Submission (ReS) portal, which streamlines the article submission process. Alongside other behind-the-scenes manuscript processing software, this should allow more efficient manuscript processing and reduce avoidable
publication delays.

I acknowledge that some authors have experienced lengthy peer review delays over the past year. This is partly due to an increased number of submissions, as well as an increasing rate of declined invitations to provide peer review. ANZJOG is particularly vulnerable to these delays due to a small pool of experts frequently invited to review and the challenges, as a smaller journal, in engaging international reviewers. I am deeply appreciative of our peer reviewers, whose contributions are fundamental to maintaining the academic standards of our publication.

ANZJOG’s Editorial Board

I am immensely grateful to the ANZJOG Editorial Board members who generously provide their time and expertise to review and process manuscripts. Our Board is relatively small for a journal of this size, and I plan to significantly expand its membership this year. Expressions of interest will be welcomed from those keen to contribute or develop skills in academic publication, with a formal call to be released soon. In addition to experts in general obstetrics and gynaecology, we are particularly looking to include members with expertise in gynaecological surgery, qualitative research methodologies, perinatal epidemiology, and maternal medicine.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support ANZJOG through article submissions, peer reviews, and content engagement. It is only through your continued support that RANZCOG can maintain its own scientific publication.