We have been brought together to commemorate 60 years’ circulation of the Revista Colombiana de Obstetricia y Ginecología, thus being Colombia’s oldest medical journal. It has completed 6 decades of uninterrupted circulation, thereby making the Colombian Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies very proud. The work and efforts made by the following who have preceded me on the editorial board should be recognised at this point: doctors Rafael Ramírez, Hernando Amaya, Arturo Marroquín, Ramón Francisco Sánchez, Rodulfo Camero, Carlos Roberto Silva, Héctor Enrique Bernal, Gonzalo Echeverri, Guillermo López, Miguel Ángel Fernández, Jorge Villareal, Jesús Alberto Gómez, Enrique Archila, Francisco Pardo, Álvaro Velasco, Alberto Reyes, Hernando Navas, Germán Palomares, Jorge Medina, Gabriel Acuña, Arturo Rodríguez, Miguel Pulido, Rubén Darío Guzmán, Luis Armando Muñoz, Luis Eduardo Santamaría, Fernando Cardona, Juan Mendoza, Germán Uriza, William Onatra, Ariel Iván Ruiz, Gilberto Martínez, Jairo de la Cruz and Antonio Lomanto. They have all contributed, together with the present director, towards producing a publication having a great tradition and high scientific and editorial quality.

I am going to take around twenty minutes to give you a short account of the literature published in the Revista Colombiana de Obstetricia y Ginecología (RCOG) since our first issue was published in January 1950. It represents the written record of the evolution of knowledge (know-how) and technological development in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology in Colombia. It is the recognition of the contributions made by researchers and schools of medicine, from different regions, to the specialisation’s development here. We shall also look at the journal’s editorial development during this long period of time.

The 1950s

The journal had a special focus on review articles regarding the field of obstetrics and during its first decade. The publication during this period of an article entitled “The presentation of an original technique for applying forceps in posterior varieties of the vertex,” written by professor Rafael Ramírez Merchán from the Universidad Nacional, stands out amongst original contributions submitted to the journal. Also a study about the psychoprophylactic method of birth pain relief was presented by professors Silva Mojica, Fernández Bastidas, López Escobar, Amaya León, Belisario Calderón, Gómez Tamayo and Guillermo Lesmes. On the other hand the memories from the first National Obstetrics and Gynaecology Convention were published containing studies which dealt with the problem of maternal mortality in Colombia by professors Rafael Peralta, Carlos R Silva, Eugenio Pérez and Jaime Ramírez Sánchez from the Universidad Nacional, toxaemia during pregnancy by professors Jorge Escobar Soto and Saulo Muñoz Delgado from the Universidad del Valle, a study of intraepithelial carcinoma of the cervix by professors Guillermo López Escobar, Luis Urdaneta, Enrique Darnalt, Germán Jordan, Hernando Osorio, Hugo Quijano and Jaime Salazar from the Colombian National Cancer Institute and considerations regarding mastopathy by professors Pedro Nel Cardona, Gustavo Isaza, Gonzalo Vásquez and Fernando Cardona from the Universidad de Antioquia.

From the editorial point of view, the regulations for submitting articles for consideration for publication in the journal were published for the first time and prospective authors were told that articles sent for consideration must be divided into the following sections: an account of the material, a summary and the pertinent bibliography.

The 1960s

During its second decade of existence, the journal became focused on the problem of perinatal mortality, stress urinary incontinence treatment, gynaecological endocrinology and its therapeutic applications (emphasising its use as a contraception method and in managing menstrual irregularities and the symptoms of menopause). The application of new diagnostic technologies in gynaecology was also presented. The Journal became included in the Index Medicus and MEDLINE.

The first report about perinatal lethality in Colombia was presented by professor Benicio Gaviria Gaviria from the Universidad de Antioquia as was an article about perinatal mortality in the Hospital San Juan de Dios in Cúcuta by professor Alberto Duarte Contreras. The first mention of the use of vaginal cytology in diagnosing cervical cancer was made by professor José Mario Posada Aristizábal from the Universidad de Antioquia and the use of colposcopy in this pathology by professor Gilberto Ángel from the Universidad del Valle. The first mention of culdoscopy as an auxiliary method of diagnosis in gynaecology was made by professor Fernando del Corral from the Universidad del Valle. The Quiñones’ manoeuvre was described for posterior varieties in cephalic presentations and an article was published about the clinical evaluation of Velasco’s spatulas.

The first report about the use of IUD in Colombia was presented by Dr Germán Riaño Gamboa. The first mention of polycystic ovary syndrome was made by professor Héctor Enrique Bernal from the Universidad Nacional. A study entitled, “The incidence of cancer in Colombia, 1965” by Dr Eduardo Gaitán Márquez was published, as was an epidemiological study regarding the early detection of cancer in the National Women’s Prison in Bogotá, Colombia, by Dr Jorge Michelsen.

The 1970s

The first articles related to adolescent health and the foetal environment evaluation, were published during the 1970s. New diagnostic technologies were described, such as ultrasound and its applications in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Original contributions were presented, one about the most frequent motives for consultation in 620 adolescents by professor Alfonso Jubiz from the Universidad de Antioquia and another about adolescent obstetric care by professor Jesús Gómez Palacino. The first reports were made about the use of ecography in diagnosing mammary pathology by professor Francisco Pardo Vargas and ecographic diagnosis in obstetrics and gynaecology by Drs Luis Carlos Jiménez, Roberto Vergara and Álvaro Quiroga Gil.

A complete issue was published which was dedicated to evaluating the foetal environment; this was coordinated by professor Jorge Medina Murillo from the Universidad Javeriana. The Colombian bibliographic index was also published by the Professor Fernando Sanchez.

The 1980s

Maternal infection became the main cause of maternal mortality in Colombia during the 1980s, not just due to septic abortion but also to increased puerperal infection associated with caesarean section, an operation which was becoming more frequent due to a better understanding of foetal risk in preterm births and in dystocic presentations. Modern epidemiological methods were applied in our publications for the first time. A financial and editorial crisis occurred at the end of this decade and a change of format was introduced.

Regarding infection, an article about the morbimortality, classification and treatment of septic abortion was presented by professors Armando Lozano, María Teresa Peralta, Fabio Reyes, Ricardo Alvarado and Jaime Saravia from the Universidad Nacional. The first mention of the use of intrapartum fetal monitoring was made by Dr Jorge Medina in the San Ignacio hospital and the first mention was made of diagnostic laparoscopy in gynaecology by professor Nelson Lenis Nichols from the Caldas Teaching Hospital. There was also the first publication regarding the application of fertility techniques (gamete intrafallopian transfer -GIFT) by Dr Hermes Jaimes. The first foetal growth curve was presented; it was related to an article about a Colombian population in the Ramón González Valencia Teaching Hospital in Bucaramanga by professor Reinaldo Mora Restrepo. The first management guideline was published; it was called, “the Guide for managing arterial hypertension induced by pregnancy and chronic arterial hypertension,” by professor Edgar Cobo.

The 1990s

The first reports about acquired immune deficiency syndrome and the association of human papilloma virus and cervical cancer appeared during the 1990s. Diagnostic applications for Doppler in gynaecology were reported as was early screening for genetic alterations. The routine application of prophylactic antibiotics in surgery was begun and therapeutic applications of gynaecological endoscopy, radiofrequency and laser began to be reported. The topic of quality in the obstetric services being provided began to be talked about.

From the editorial point of view, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors’ (ICMJE) Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals were published for the first time, guiding the publication of RCOG articles from then onwards. The first publication of a meta-analysis about calcium supplementation in preventing hypertensive disorders during pregnancy was made by Dr Agustín Conde Agudelo.

An article about the perinatal transmission of the human immune deficiency virus by Dr Jorge Enrique Martínez from Profamilia was published, as was an article entitled, “The quality of attention provided during giving birth in official institutions in Antioquia 1990”, by Dr María Consuelo Castrillón. The first mention was made of the use of radiofrequency in managing the cervical cone by Dr Néstor Amorocho from Cali. A study by Dr Juan Manuel Acuña of prenatal screening of genetic and acquired foetal diseases by measuring three maternal serum markers was published.

The first publication regarding the use of videolaparoscopy for the surgical treatment of ectopic pregnancy by doctors Félix Toro and Jesús Ruiz from Bogotá and the first publication concerning HPV prevalence in CIN patients in Bogota by professor Hernán Urdaneta from the Hospital Militar. An article was also published about the use of Doppler for evaluating ovarian mass by Dr Guido Parra from Barranquilla and an article about the conservative management of endometriosis with CO² laser compared to surgical management by professors Fernando del Corral and Jaime Saavedra from Cali.

Dr Herman Redondo made some reflections about the difficulty of implementing the Health System Reform (Law 100). He stated that he had had reservations for some time about the behaviour of private health-promoting entities (EPS), the lack of sufficient resources for covering the subsidised regime and public hospitals’ uncertain future. The first article about gender was published, entitled, “Pregnant women and violence,” by Dr Alberto Moreno Rojas from Neiva. An article entitled, “Blastocyte transfer represents an important step for increasing implantation and pregnancy rates in an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) programme. A report regarding the first pregnancy in Colombia”, was published by Dr Elkin Lucena et al., for the Colombian Fertility and Sterility Centre (CECOLFES). Guidelines for managing gynaecological cancer were published.

The first decade of the 21^st century

The diagnostic use of molecular biology techniques and the use of three-dimensional ecography in obstetrics were mentioned for the first time during the first decade of the 21^st century. The topic of bioethics occupied an important place in practising the specialisation and innovations related to the therapeutic use of stem cells were mentioned. A vaccine against HPV became reality and patient safety became a topic of interest for obstetric care. The Journal’s design was changed.

An article entitled, “Polymerase chain reaction for detecting Toxoplasma gondii in amniotic liquid” by professor Alejandro Giraldo from the Universidad Nacional was published. Dr Ramiro Argüello wrote a report on the total laparoscopic hysterectomy technique. The first mention of bioethics was made by doctors Fernando Arana and José Ignacio Madero and proposals by doctors Alba Mondragón and Guido Parra for making informed consent forms compulsory (i.e. providing them and getting them signed) for surgical procedures were published. The first mention of stem cells and therapeutic use was made by Dr Juan Pablo Giraldo and the Medifertil group. Likewise, our group in the Universidad Nacional de Colombia mentioned, “Adverse event screening in the Instituto Materno Infantil 2002–2003”. Dr Gonzalo Pérez described the use of a vaccine for preventing HPV and cervical cancer.

The journal began to become internationalised. The editorial committee and scientific committee were modified according to Publindex requirements (the National Bibliographic Database). The journal became classified in COLCIENCIAS category A2. It became involved with the SciELO Colombia project as one of the project’s 4 official journals.

The topics being covered by RCOG have broadened out, its central topic being women’s health in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, their subspecialties, public health and aspects regarding gender and violence at national and Latin-American levels. Its registration in Latin-American and Caribbean databases has been updated. It has also been included in the following electronic libraries: SciELO, Imbiomed, Gale Cengage Learning, EBSCO and Scopus. Regarding scientific content, the journal has mainly been publishing original research articles.

The journal has become a national and regional model for editorial and scientific quality. It began to publish National Management Guidelines, starting with a code red management guide by Dr Gladys Adriana Vélez and the NACER group and the Colombian consensus for growth-retarded foetus diagnosis and follow-up.

The limited time available has meant that it has not been possible to mention all the investigators who have made important contributions to the journal, such as Dr Rodrigo Cifuentes, Dr Álvaro Monterrosa or Dr Orlando Borrero just to mention a few; I apologise to those whom I have left out. Lastly, I would like to stress the support received from FECOLSOG presidents (previously those of ASBOG), the boards of directors and the editorial team who have enabled such a favourable evolution for RCOG. I would also like to thank our peer reviewers and contributing authors. We hope we can continue counting on your support and contributions to continue with the task of making RCOG one of the most important scientific journals in the Latin-American and Caribbean region, publishing our research and serving as the means for providing on-going education for doctors working in the specialisation and those people and entities responsible for women’s health and wellbeing.

Thank you very much,

Hernando Gaitán D., MD
Editor