And that’s a wrap on #RCOG2024!

Thank you to our delegates, speakers, partners , sponsors and staff for making #RCOG2024 an unforgettable event.

After three fantastic days, we are wrapping up #RCOG2024 with a ceremony to congratulate our prize winners.

Saeed Baradwan
Ashwini Elanko
Mo Vali
Arthur C Yeung
Amana Sharif
Duriya Rehmani
Zahrah AlSomali
Ahmed Elgharably

First prize
Mo Vali | Prediction of pregnancy outcomes in IVF patients using
multi-modal deep learning methods

Second prize
Duriya Rehmani | Predictors of mortality in peripartum cardiomyopathy: a 10-year study

Third prize
Amana Sharif | Tackling the elective gynaecology backlog: effectiveness of a super-clinic model

First prize
Jonathan Gaughran | Ultrasound assessment of adnexal masses in pregnancy

Second prize
Fatima Junaid | Utilising maternal medicine networks: a national audit of epilepsy in pregnancy (Epi-Safe)

Yusra Durrani | The impact of BMI on the procedure and outcomes of sacral neuromodulation

First prize
Rizwana Chaudhri | Tranexamic acid for the prevention of postpartum bleeding in women with anaemia

Second prize
Arthur C Yeung | Using machine learning to identify follicle sizes that optimise clinical outcomes ​​​​

Third prize
Dipak Patil | Efficacy and safety of Elagolix in endometriosis: phase-III randomized double-blind active-controlled trial

It’s nearly time for the final plenary session of #RCOG2024.

Consultant obstetrician and urogynaecologist Mr Abdul H Sultan and professor Tim Draycott, former RCOG Vice President , will participate in an obstetrics debate on forceps. Should they be banished to the museum shelf?

This session is chaired by Mr Dudley Robinson, consultant urogynaecologist at King's College Hospital, London and Honorary Convenor of Meetings at the RCOG.

During the final break of #RCOG2024, our delegates are making the most of their final opportunities to network with global peers and discover new findings through ePoster presentations.

Yesterday evening, we enjoyed an Omani networking event where attendees came together to enjoy traditional music, dancing, bread-making and much more.

Professor Dr Nazimah Idris is a clinical professor in O&G at the IMU University Malaysia and the Medical Director of IMU Healthcare. Her interests include adolescent health, high risk pregnancies, care of women in disaster affected areas and medical humanities.

It addressed the unique vulnerabilities of women and girls during war including sexual violence, reproductive health and mental health issues. Professor Idris talked about the importance of culturally competent humanitarian efforts, collaborative and need-based approaches, and resilient investment to help women and girls withstand and recover from adversity.

Today is Omani’s Women’s Day. We spoke to some of our delegates at #RCOG2024 to find out why the day is important and what it means to them.

“Womens’ Day in Omani is an opportunity to celebrate all women and the contributions they make to society – an important message for the RCOG, with our mission to improve the health of women and girls globally.” 

After a short break, the programme has resumed with a variety of sessions, covering hot topics across the specialty including new technologies in the management of genitourinary syndrome of menopause, thyroid disease in pregnancy and PCOS.

In stream 2, RCOG President Ranee Thakar is chairing a debate on robotics verus laparascopic surgery between Mr Arvind Vashisht and Mr Ahmad Sayasneh. This will be followed by a open discussion and voting.

Great to see the impact Congress can have on clinicians across the globe and how hard work, dedication and ambition is rewarded.

In our mission to improve the health of women and girls globally, the RCOG provides a range of best practice guidance for clinicians working in O&G.

Guidance produced and promoted by the RCOG is designed to help clinicians evaluate and improve their practice. Our Green-top Guidelines provide systematically developed recommendations that assist clinicians and patients in making decisions about appropriate treatment for specific conditions. Meanwhile, our Scientific Impact Papers advise on emerging or controversial scientific issues of relevance to obstetrics and gynaecology, together with the implications for future practice.

RCOG guidance is also used to develop patient information, which provides medical and health guidance on a wide range of issues and life events.

The morning sessions are underway here in Muscat with topics including maternal medicine, menopause and fetal medicine.

Over in the obesity and metabolic disorders stream, Senior and Global Health Vice President at the RCOG, Professor Hassan Shehata, is starting the session with a presentation on the challenges of obesity in pregnancy.

Hassan addresses increased risks including gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, and the need for a multidisciplinary approach. Healthcare providers must navigate these complexities while providing supportive care, ensuring both maternal and fetal wellbeing.

In her presentation in the menopause stream, RCOG Vice President Mrs Geeta Kumar is talking about the diagnosis and management strategies to optimise health and well-being for women in peri-menopausal and menopausal stages. 

Meanwhile, in the maternal medicine stream, Dr Tamima Al-Dughaishi is exploring the complexities of thyroid disease in pregnancy, covering the importance of effective management for maternal and fetal health. 

With her extensive experience in maternal-fetal medicine, Dr Al-Dughaishi will provide valuable insights into optimizing prenatal care for thyroid conditions.

In the first plenary session of the day, associate professor Rhea Liang addresses the complexities of achieving workplace diversity. She will share evidence-based strategies to overcome these issues, enhancing inclusivity and respect in professional settings.

She says the individual and organisational benefits of diversity are well documented, but efforts to achieve diversity also carry risks which need to be addressed if barriers are to be effectively overcome.

Key problems facing many workplaces include tokenism, which can lead to a multilateral disengagement with diversity initiatives; persistently disrespectful workplace cultures, which often disproportionately affect under-represented groups; and insufficient organisational expertise in managing the diverse conversations which arise from a more diverse workforce, often leading to diversity being perceived as conflict or unprofessionalism.

Tackling discrimination and improving race equality in O&G is a key priority for RCOG President Ms Ranee Thakar. Find out more about the College’s ambition for racial equity within O&G here.

The final day of RCOG World Congress 2024 kicked off with more popular early riser sessions.

In stream 5, RCOG Vice President for Membership and Workforce Laura Hipple is discussing how the College can support you throughout your professional life, giving you the skills, training and opportunities you need to thrive in your career. 

With more than 17,500+ members worldwide, we offer support to those starting out in O&G right through to later career and retirement. 

Laura is the first SAS doctor to be elected as a Vice President of the College. At the RCOG, we know that specialty, associate specialist and specialist (SAS) doctors and locally employed doctors (LEDs) make up a significant proportion of the O&G workforce. 

During SAS Week 2024 (14-18 October), we want to highlight the dedicated resources available to SAS and LE doctors on our website. This includes information on how becoming an RCOG Associate can benefit you and your professional career.

Dr Paul Mills and Dr Bid Kumar from our Exams committees provided an update on the MRCOG exams, and shared lots of useful advice on how to prepare for the MRCOG Part 1 and MRCOG Part 2 exams.

Paul highlighted the importance of preparing for the exams mentally, ensuring you get lots of sleep and have strategies in place to manage anxiety.

Both Paul and Bid advised revising all 15 knowledge areas, emphasising that question writers will ensure a wide spread of knowledge is tested from across the specialty.

When preparing for the MRCOG Part 2, Bid reminded the audience to draw on their everyday clinical practice when revising, consulting guidelines as if attempting to solve a clinical conundrum.

He also highlighted a number of College resources to help support revision, including:

• Green-top Guidelines
• Scientific Impact Papers
• The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist (TOG), including the questions at the end
• RCOG Associate, providing access to RCOG Learning and discount on courses

Find out more about the MRCOG qualification on our website.

Day two highlights

Day two of Congress kicked off with engaging early riser sessions, including Mr. Sanjay Rao’s talk on the RCOG MTI programme. This unique opportunity allows international doctors to gain vital NHS experience and work towards MRCOG certification.

During the day, we had the opportunity to engage with insightful sessions covering a wide range of critical topics:

• Professor Oona Campbell discussed data-driven strategies to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, aimed at meeting SDG 2030 targets
• Dr Laura Hipple emphasised the importance of workforce behaviours in O&G, highlighting RCOG’s resources, including the Workplace Behaviour Toolkit
• Jane Plumb spoke on amplifying women’s voices in O&G, outlining key RCOG initiatives like training lay examiners and the development of inclusive communications
• A plenary session chaired by Professor Marwan Alhalabi explored women’s health in resource-limited settings, focusing on challenges like financial constraints and cultural barriers

Additional highlights from the day include a thought-provoking discussion on sustainability in healthcare, where Dr Ali Kubba and Professor Eric Jauniaux highlighted practical ways to reduce the carbon footprint in clinical practice. Meanwhile, Miss Eman Toeima addressed the challenges of diagnosing vulval diseases across age groups, stressing the importance of early detection and patient-centered care.