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March 2012
Haiti: Why our
involvement is
as important
as ever
page 3
A look back at
the last 21 years
page 4
Choosing
caesarean?
page 11
Haitian medical students participate
in an SOGC-run modified ALARM
International Program course.
Join the CFWH’s
‘non event’
page 11
Council
2011–2012
Why take ALARM again? You might be
surprised by how much has changed!
Executive Committee
• President:
Mark Heywood, MD, Vancouver
• Past president:
Ahmed Ezzat, MD, Saskatoon
• President-elect:
Douglas Black, MD, Ottawa
• Acting executive vice-president:
Vyta Senikas, MD, Ottawa
• Treasurer:
Ian R. Lange, MD, Calgary
• Vice-presidents:
Ward Murdock, MD, Fredericton
Diane Francoeur, MD, Montréal
Did you know that the SOGC’s ALARM (Advances
in Labour and Risk Management) course is
updated each year to reflect the latest evidencebased information?
articles were appraised for inclusion in the
ALARM course curriculum. In fact, the SOGC’s
intensive and ongoing updating process means
that the new curriculum for 2012 will include
Cochrane reviews published this year.
Our knowledge about labour and risk
management is constantly evolving; in
particular, topics such as group B streptococcal
infections and induction of labour see extensive
and frequent updates.
ALARM was developed by family physicians,
obstetricians, midwives and nurses, who jointly
continue to maintain and teach the course.
Backed by the SOGC, the ALARM course arose
out of our efforts to improve the care provided
to women during labour, their fetuses and
newborns, and their families. And with a
faculty ratio of approximately five participants
to one faculty member, we can ensure a highly
interactive and educational course.
Last year, the SOGC’s Obstetric Review Committee
screened 3390 systematic reviews, randomized
controlled trials/controlled clinical trials, and
observational or epidemiological studies for
relevance; from that pool, over 400 full-text
Regional chairs, alternate chairs
and other representatives • Western region:
Stephen Kaye, MD, North Vancouver
Radha Chari, MD, Edmonton
• Central region:
Margaret Burnett, MD, Winnipeg
George Carson, MD, Regina
• Ontario region:
Wendy Lynn Wolfman, MD, Toronto
William Mundle, MD, Windsor
• Quebec Region:
Robert Sabbah, MD, Montréal
Isabelle Girard, MD, Montréal
• Atlantic Region:
Joan Crane, MD, St-John’s
Krista Cassell, MD, Charlottetown
• Junior Member Representative:
Cynthia Nair, MD, Saskatoon
• Public Representative:
Ms. Micheline Bouchard
• Associate Member (FP):
William J. Ehman, MD, Nanaimo
• Associate Member (RN-NP):
Janet Walker, RN, Vancouver
• Associate Member (RM):
Kimberley Campbell, RM, Abbotsford
• APOG Representative:
Margaret Morris, MD, Winnipeg
2
March • 2012
Invitation to the 2012 SOGC
Medical Student Program
Learn about obstetrics and gynaecology through
this program, held during the SOGC’s Annual
Clinical Meeting, designed to benefit medical
students by exposing them to hands-on workshops
and seminars that will enhance their awareness
and understanding of the profession. The goal of
the Medical Student Program is to promote the
specialty of obstetrics and gynaecology in the
hopes that medical students will choose this field
of practice. A key aspect of the program is that
medical students are able to mingle with ob/gyn
residents and physicians to encourage the exchange
of information and experiences.
The deadline to apply for the
2012 Medical Student Program
is Friday, March 30th, 2012.
Please visit www.sogc.org/cmes/acm2012/english/ and select “Other programs and meetings” to find
out more about the program, what the guidelines
are and how to apply to become a participant.
Upcoming clinical
practice guidelines
Below is a tentative schedule for upcoming guidelines that will
be published by the SOGC. Please note that the publication dates
listed are subject to change. All guidelines are published in the
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada (JOGC) and are
available on the Society’s website, www.sogc.org.
March
• Genetic Considerations for a Woman’s Annual Gynaecological
Examination
• Management of Varicella Infection (Chickenpox) in Pregnancy
April
• Antibiotic Prophylaxis in
Gynaecologic Procedures
A visit to Haiti
By Dr. Vyta Senikas,
SOGC acting executive vice-president
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to
travel to Haiti recently, where I gained insight
into the important work that the SOGC is
doing there through its International Women’s
Health Program.
The main purpose of the visit was to monitor
and evaluate the Haiti reconstruction project,
“Supporting Maternal and Perinatal Health
through Primary and Ongoing Training”, in which
the SOGC is working closely with the Société
haïtienne d’obstétrique et de gynécologie (SHOG) to
upgrade the skills of medical students and health
professionals for delivery of quality emergency
obstetric care. I had the privilege of participating
in a workshop on the development of clinical
practice guidelines, an opportune moment to
highlight the SOGC’s success in this area, but also
to learn with our Haitian colleagues about the
many differences that exist when comparing
clinical practice in our two countries.
The highlight of my trip was meeting with
stakeholders and partners, who were quick
to express their appreciation of the SOGC’s
support over the years. During a visit to the
Croix-des-Bouquets Maternity Centre, I had
the pleasure of meeting a very hard-working
team of staff and also seeing firsthand how the
centre is making a difference for the women
of Port-au-Prince. Through conversations with
representatives of the Ministry of Health and the
UNFPA, I was continuously reminded of the many
achievements and successes of the Croix-desBouquets Maternity Centre and how it is truly
recognized as being one of the most organized,
functional maternities in the Port-au-Prince
area. I felt an overwhelming sense of pride as I
witnessed the positive changes that have taken
place due to the generosity and dedication of
the many members, staff and volunteers of the
SOGC who have supported our work in Haiti.
As much as I have kept informed and updated
about the situation in Haiti over the past few
years, the reality of the hardships faced by the
Haitian population on a daily basis struck me
significantly as we drove through the capital
city. Makeshift shelters and overpopulated
displacement camps are a regular sight; piles of
rubble and remnants of the destruction caused
by the earthquake still remain, even two years
after the tragedy. It was hard for me to imagine
living in such conditions, let alone to imagine a
woman having to give birth in such circumstances
without the availability of a skilled attendant.
The Croix-des-Bouquets Maternity Centre provides
essential maternity services
and emergency obstetric care,
free of cost, to approximately
400 women a month, women
who otherwise would not have
access to skilled attendance.
Without a continuous supply
of funding or the support
of the Ministry of Health,
the viability of the centre is
uncertain, constantly at risk of
closure if its fate takes a turn
for the worse.
The SOGC’s Jean-Richard Dortonne (second from left), Dr. Vyta Senikas (third from left) and the SOGC’s Astrid Bucio (second from right),
the director of the SOGC’s International Women’s Health Program, with a team of staff at the Croix-des-Bouquets Maternity Centre.
The SOGC must remain
committed to supporting this
important initiative, since
closing the clinic and thus
leaving women with nowhere
to access the care they need,
would not only be devastating,
but would be non-ethical. I
am convinced more than ever
before that we are making a
difference in Haiti and I look
forward to many more years of
progress and partnership.
March • 2012
3
Upcoming
meetings
SOGC meetings
West/Central CME
Update in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
March 22–24
Banff, AB
68th Annual Clinical Meeting
June 20–24
Ottawa, ON
Quebec CME
Update in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
September 27–29
Québec City, QC
Quebec CME in Obstetrics
For family physicians, nurses and midwives
November 15–16
Montréal, QC
Ontario CME
Update in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
December 6–8
Toronto, ON
Program schedule
Location. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Date
Banff, AB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 25–26
(in conjunction with the West/Central CME)
Ottawa, ON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 18–19
(in conjunction with the Annual Clinical Meeting)
ALARM at SEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 22–29
(Celebrity Century Alaska Cruise)
Montréal, QC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 17–18
(in conjunction with the Quebec CME)
Offered in French
Other meetings
RCOG 10th International
Scientific Meeting 2012
Borneo Convention Centre, Kuching, Malaysia
June 5 to 8, 2012
www.rcog2012.com
info@rcog2012.com
4
March • 2012
Following Dr. Lalonde’s retirement,
a look back at the past 21 years
With Dr. André Lalonde’s retirement on
September 2, 2011, comes the opportunity to
look back on over 20 years of SOGC achievements
under his leadership as executive vice-president.
Throughout his career, Dr. Lalonde contributed
greatly to building the strong membership
and operational team which have allowed
the SOGC to develop the image, reputation
and credibility it enjoys today. Surrounded
by his employees and colleagues, he received
the support required for the Society to
develop, implement and sustain a multitude
of successful women’s health projects and
initiatives for which the organization has
become renowned the world over. Dr. Lalonde’s
vision for a professional medical association
that would continue to represent and help
guide the profession of obstetrics and
gynaecology became a reality.
care, as well as the promotion of women’s
sexual and reproductive health and rights.
While our work in low-resource countries has
been a worthy expansion of the SOGC core
mandate established over 65 years ago, in
2006, Council recognized the need to focus on
Canada’s own underserved and disadvantaged
populations. Consequently, the scope of work
of the Society was once again expanded to
include Aboriginal Women’s Health as a key
pillar of our strategic plan.
With an acknowledgement that our field of
expertise was not restricted to ob/gyns alone,
the SOGC extended an invitation to all allied
health-care professionals offering ob/gyn
services (family physicians, midwives, nurses,
researchers and students) to join the Society,
thus strengthening our membership, promoting
the adoption of a more collaborative care model,
and harnessing the skills and competencies to
improve women’s health in Canada and around
the world.
During Dr. Lalonde’s mandate, the SOGC also
solidified its position as the preferred provider
of knowledge and continuous professional
learning in obstetrics and gynaecology. With
the organization’s growing mandate and
increased demand for services came the need
to share the leadership of the Society. A new
associate executive vice-president (AEVP)
position was created. The incumbents have
undoubtedly enhanced Dr. Lalonde’s vision
and have actively overseen the successful
development and implementation of the
following SOGC flagship initiatives. The
ALARM, ALARM International and MOREOB
programs clearly established the SOGC as
the preeminent organization when it comes
to risk management training in obstetrics.
The Society’s clinical practice guidelines
have achieved a highly visible national and
international status. Momentum led to
the purchase of the rights to the Journal of
Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, a peerreviewed journal that has achieved its current
status as the leading Canadian evidencebased publication on women’s sexual and
reproductive health.
In 1998, the Council shared his enthusiasm for
international women’s health and approved
the establishment of a strategy. This became a
wonderful opportunity to showcase and share
our membership’s knowledge and expertise in
capacity building and emergency obstetrical
As a non-profit organization, the SOGC owes
its success to members who get involved,
collaborate and make a difference. Dr. Lalonde
dedicated 21 years of his career to the SOGC.
We thank him for his services and we wish
him well in all his future endeavours.
The membership rose to the occasion and
assumed an active and impactful role in the
development of clinical practice guidelines that
continue to help health-care professionals across
the country meet the challenges of modern
obstetrics and gynaecology.
Update on the search for a
new executive vice-president
By Dr. Guylaine Lefebvre, former SOGC president and chair
of the Executive Vice-President Search Committee
The last two decades have been good ones
for the SOGC — we have grown from 300
to nearly 3800 members, have greatly
expanded our programs and services, and have
solidified ourselves as the premier provider
of continuing medical education and clinical
practice guidelines in Canadian obstetrics and
gynaecology.
And now we have a ‘moment’ —six months is
not long considering our 68-year history and
our promising future ahead — to pause and
re-evaluate our governance structure.
For this purpose, this past fall the Council created
an Executive Vice-President Search Committee
consisting of myself, as chair; Dr. Michel Fortier,
former president of the SOGC; Dr. Ward Murdock,
vice-president of the SOGC; Dr. Robert Sabbah,
SOGC chair for the Quebec region; Dr. Radha
Chari, SOGC alternate chair for the Western
region; Dr. William Ehman, SOGC Associate
member representative for family physicians;
and Dr. Wylam Faught as a member at-large.
We are currently in the first phase of our
mandate, working with a consultant to help
define our governance needs. Using feedback
from employees, members and stakeholders
to identify and compare different models of
governance, we are developing several options
to propose to the Executive Committee and
Council. This phase is expected to be completed
by the end of April 2012.
Based on feedback from the Executive
Committee and Council, we will develop search
criteria to fulfill the agreed-upon governance
model, and will then proceed with the search for
a candidate, which we expect to complete by the
end of June 2012.
In the meantime, we whole-heartedly thank
Dr. Vyta Senikas, who has adapted her activities
as associate executive vice-president and director
of continuous professional learning to take on
the job of acting executive vice-president during
this time of transition.
The search for a new executive vice-president is
a catalyst for us to re-evaluate our old habits and
norms, and update how we function to better
meet the needs of our members, as well as the
women and babies of Canada and abroad. It is an
exciting time, and we promise to keep members
informed as the process continues.
A peek at our new strategic
directions for 2012 to 2016
As many of our members are likely aware, the
Society has been working over the past half year
to develop a new set of strategic directions for
the 2012 to 2016 period, replacing our seven
guiding principles which have now ‘expired.’
This has been an exciting process, involving the
consultation of 100 members and stakeholders,
and the Executive Committee and Council have
now approved the final version of the document
which will help the SOGC and its members
effectively prioritize and act over the next five
years in order to improve the health of women in
Canada and abroad.
Are there big changes? Of course not - as
always, we remained focused on the sexual and
reproductive health of women, and the well
being of their babies!
forward will become clearer for the organization
and its members.
The same special areas of interest that we have
For each of the five identified areas of focus, we
always had will
have defined specific
remain the same;
objectives outlining
what has changed is
how we can meet the
Our five pillars for the
how we define our
needs of health-care
2012 to 2016 strategic directions:
approach to these
professionals, partners,
• Aboriginal health
important pillars. By
leaders and the public
• Continuous professional learning
reorganizing how we
with respect to each one.
• International women’s health
present our major
• Promoting the profession
The SOGC plans to
goals, and the steps
•
Public
education
release the complete
involved in achieving
and final document
each one, we believe
at our Annual Clinical
that the path
Meeting in Ottawa – we hope to see you there.
March • 2012
5
Members’ corner
Recent studies authored
by SOGC members
4
Crane JM, Keough M, Murphy P, Burrage L,
Hutchens D. “Effects of environmental tobacco
smoke on perinatal outcomes: a retrospective
cohort study.” BJOG 2011;118(7):865-71.
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21426481
4
Grady R, Alavi N, Vale R, Khandwala M,
McDonald SD. “Elective single embryo transfer
and perinatal outcomes: a systematic review
and meta-analysis.” Fertil Steril 2011.
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22177461
4
Johnson JA, Tough S. “Delayed child-bearing.”
J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2012;34(1):80-93.
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22260768
4
Klein MC. “Many women and providers are
unprepared for an evidence-based, educated
conversation” [editorial]. J Perinat Educ
2011;20(4):185-7.
Available: www.ingentaconnect.com/search/download?p
ub=infobike%3a%2f%2fspringer%2fjpe%2f2011%2f00
000020%2f00000004%2fart00003&mimetype=applicat
ion%2fpdf.
4
Lausman A, McCarthy FP, Walker M, Kingdom
J. “Screening, diagnosis, and management
of intrauterine growth restriction.” J Obstet
Gynaecol Can 2012;34(1):17-28.
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22260759
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22260763
4
McNiven P, Klein MC, Baradaran N, Tomkinson
J, Hearps SJC, Saxell L. “Midwives’ belief
in normal birth: the Canadian Survey of
Maternity Care Providers’ Attitudes Toward
Labour and Birth.” Can J Midwifery Res Pract
2011;10(2):11-21.
4
Nakatsuka N, Jain V, Aziz K, Verity R, Kumar
M. “Is there an association between fetal
scalp electrode application and early-onset
neonatal sepsis in term and late preterm
pregnancies? A case-control study.” J Obstet
Gynaecol Can 2012;34(1):29-33.
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22260760
4
Onderoglu LS, Basaran D, Ozyuncu O, Kara
O. “Prenatal diagnosis of partial androgen
insensitivity syndrome by means of a 4-D
ultrasound technique.” J Obstet Gynaecol Can
2012;34(1):9.
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22260757
4
Roberge S, Chaillet N, Boutin A, Moore L,
Jastrow N, Brassard N, et al. “Single- versus
double-layer closure of the hysterotomy incision
during cesarean delivery and risk of uterine
rupture.” Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2011;115(1):5-10.
4
Lemyre M, Bujold E, Lathi R, Bhagan L, Huang
JQ, Nezhat C. “Comparison of morbidity
associated with laparoscopic myomectomy
and hysterectomy for the treatment of
uterine leiomyomas.” J Obstet Gynaecol Can
2012;34(1):57-62.
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21794864
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22260764
4
Taghzouti N, Xiong X, Gornitsky M, Chandad F,
Voyer R, Gagnon G, et al. “Periodontal disease is
not associated with preeclampsia in Canadian
pregnant women.” J Periodontol 2011.
4
Magee LA, Lowe S, Douglas MJ,
Kathirgamanathan A. “Therapeutics and
anaesthesia.” Best Pract Res Clin Obstet
Gynaecol 2011;25(4):477-90.
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21478058
4
McDermott CD, Park J, Terry CL, Woodman PJ,
Hale DS. “Surgical outcomes of abdominal
versus laparoscopic sacral colpopexy related
6
to body mass index.” J Obstet Gynaecol Can
2012;34(1):47-56.
March • 2012
4
Simmons HA, Goldberg LS. “‘High-risk’
pregnancy after perinatal loss: understanding
the label.” Midwifery 2011;27(4):452-7.
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20416998
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22191787
4
Tough SC, Vekved M, Newburn-Cook C. “Do
factors that influence pregnancy planning differ
by maternal age? A population-based survey.”
J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2012;34(1):39-46.
PubMed record: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22260762
Welcome,
new members
The SOGC is pleased to welcome
some of the newest members
to our society:
Junior member: Dr. Emilie-Lien Bui;
Dr. Suzanne Demers; Dr. Tanaka Dune;
Dr. Ramadan; Dr. Elmahdy El Sugy; Dr. Brock
McKinney; Dr. Eider Ruiz Mirazo; Dr. Deborah
Sasges
Life member: Magdi R. Shihata
Associate member (Family physician):
Dr. Sandi Adamson; Dr. Deanne J. Benning;
Dr. Monica Kidd; Dr. Divya J. Varma; Dr. Avaleen
Ann Vopicka
Associate member (Registered Midwife):
Ms. Jennifer Bindon, RM; Ms. Sara E. Povey, RM
Ob/gyn member: Dr. Armen Kirakosyan;
Dr. Bruce B. Lee; Dr. Channabasav B. Shettar
Associate member (Allied health-care
professional): Ms. Lucie Gingras
Associate member (Health-care
professional): Ms. Sandra A. Iczkovitz
International member: Dr. Osama Al Omar;
Dr. Asma Mohammed Al-Ojaili, Jr.; Dr. Sarah
Ali; Dr. Dan Harmelin; Ms. Joanna Potts, RM;
Dr. Emily Thompson
Associate member (Researcher): Ms. Jennifer
Snyder; Ms. Hope Alberta Weiler
Associate member (RN/NP): Mrs. Sharon
Laplante, RN; Mrs. Minnie Small, RN; Mrs. Alie
Turanich-Noyen, RN
Associate member (Students in health-care
training): Dr. Fariba Aghajafari; Mr. Matthew
Tyler Bernstein; Ms. Talar Boyajian; Mr. Stuart
Douglas; Ms. Priscilla Frenette; Ms. Katherine
Gerster; Ms. Lesley Hawkins; Miss Natalie
Johnson; Ms. Shifana Lalani; Miss Stephanie
Leung; Mrs. Dawn Mullin; Miss Amanda O’Reilly;
Ms. Katherine Puchala; Ms. Rebekah Ann Zee
Members’ corner
Working as an intern in Hyderabad
By SOGC member Dr. Roopan Gill
During the course of November and December
2011, I was given the opportunity to participate
as an intern at Lifespring Hospital – a network of
maternity hospitals servicing the working poor
of the slums of Hyderabad, India – exploring a
new way to rethink global health.
Over the course of four weeks, I worked
alongside dedicated, compassionate and creative
individuals who inspired me every moment of
my stay in Hyderabad. During my time, I was
challenged to understand a different health-care
system than the one I was so comfortable with
in Canada.
This was not my first time in an international
setting working in a maternity hospital;
however, it was my first time exploring a
new concept in the development lingo: social
entrepreneurship. What does this mean and
why would a first year resident in obstetrics and
gynaecology be drawn to entrepreneurship?!
I was first introduced to this concept while
reading Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad
Yunus’ inspiring book, Banker to the Poor, which
discusses his innovative solution to world
poverty: micro-lending. I began to imagine a
world where women were empowered from
multiple levels: economic, educational, health
and politics.
After reading his first book, I was naturally
drawn to his second book, Creating a World
Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future
of Capitalism. I began to learn of a whole new
outlook to addressing the health-care disparities
and devastating poverty that plagues the
majority of humanity. One chapter specifically
stuck out to me, “Putting poverty in museums”,
and I would go further to think about putting
maternal mortality in museums. I loved the
concept that once gender disparities and poverty
are gone, we’ll need to build museums to display
its horrors to future generations!
Lifespring Hospital is a social enterprise
that is essentially a real-life example of
Yunus’ dream to transform the system that
is an unjust equilibrium and set up a new,
balanced equilibrium that brings care to the
most marginalized Indian women. Lifespring
was birthed by change-makers in India who
recognized that only 42 per cent of women in
India receive care from skilled birth attendants,
the exorbitantly high maternal mortality ratios
of 350 for every 100 000 births, sex-selective
abortions and women’s lack of empowerment in
making their own health decisions was unjust.
Moreover, the crippling health-care system in
India is one of the leading causes of bringing
people further into poverty due to the lack of
quality state health infrastructure forcing them
in the arms of profit-seeking private hospitals.
Thus partnering with Acumen Fund – a social
venture investment company in New York and
Hindustan Latex Limited a Government of India
enterprise under the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare, Lifespring was created.
Acumen Fund has been pivotal in reframing aid
– specifically noting that charity and marketbased solutions alone will not solve the problem
of poverty. Thus, Acumen’s vision is to take the
very low-income people who are invisible by
businesses, society and health-care systems
to build new models that provide services
like clean water, health-care, housing and
energy at affordable prices. Rather than giving
hand-outs, philanthropic capital is invested in a
social enterprise that will yield both a financial
and social return – with any financial returns
received being recycled into new investments.
Hindustan Latex Limited has been a champion
of developing contraception and being involved
in various public health initiatives in India. The
challenge in India is that it is such a fascinating
land of economic progress however maternal
mortality rates remain among the highest in the
world. Private hospitals are expensive and the
public hospitals provision of maternity services
is often inadequate. Thus I learned during my
four weeks that Lifespring Hospital was an
innovative solution to address this problem.
Being a joint venture between Acumen Fund
and HLL – the model rests on building a chain
of small-sized (25 bed) hospitals across India.
The hospital reduces costs by specializing in
services required by most customers – normal
deliveries, C-sections, hysterectomies and
paediatric care – and limiting investments in
infrastructure required by very few customers. As
a result, Lifespring offers normal and caesarean
deliveries at prices that are 50 percent less than
other hospitals.
While I was at Lifespring, I was expected to work
on a quality assurance project that involved
critiquing various systems and processes that
were occurring at the hospital and providing
recommendations on how to improving
efficiencies of the health-care providers so as to
reduce the costs and improve care for patients.
When I first arrived at Lifespring, I was very
impressed by how a dedicated group of people
were committed to a single cause – maternal
health – and were working with the resources
they had to significantly increase hospital
supervised deliveries by skilled-birth attendants
and reduce maternal and child mortality
and morbidity rates. I was impressed by the
various protocols and the access to resources
that I had not expected (especially given my
previous experience in Uganda!). With all that
said, I certainly had plenty of questions given
Lifespring is a private-public partnership and
I am an advocate for a public health-care –
system that provides care to all equally. India
is a fascinating place with the second largest
population in the world, a growing economy
and the world’s oldest democracy, however it
falls behind in its commitment to health-care.
I do believe that with the advent of social
enterprises like Lifespring Hospitals a new way
of rethinking international maternal health
has been established. The next step requires
evidence-based research to evaluate its impact
so as to inform policies at the government level
so that this model could be integrated into
the public system and thus diminish maternal
mortality and morbidity in India. With so much
opportunity for collaboration, I definitely foresee
a return to India in the near future…
March • 2012
7
Junior member news
Membership renewal 2012 – 2013
for residents and students
Call for
nominations
All residents and students in health-care
training will receive membership renewal
notices by email on April 1, 2012.
Chair-elect of the
SOGC Junior Member Committee
website, www.sogc.org, under ‘Quick Links’ in
the members’ section. Remember, you may be
eligible to receive great discounts when your
status changes.
Be part of our campaign…renew
your membership for 2012-2013!
Before renewing your membership dues
online for 2012-2013, please notify the SOGC
by email at membership@sogc.com if your
status is changing on July 1, 2012, so that we
may adjust your profile and fees accordingly
- for example, if you are a student starting
residency or a resident starting a practice or
fellowship. Complete the ‘Change of Status’
form, which can be downloaded from our
For the quickest and easiest way to renew your
membership, visit our website at www.sogc.
org, and log in to the member’s section and
click on ‘Pay your dues online’. If you choose this
method of payment, you will be eligible for the
followings draws:
• Payment received prior to May 15, 2012: win
free registration to the 2012 ACM
• Payment received prior to June 30, 2012: win
free registration to a regional CME in 2012
or 2013
Should you have any questions, please contact
Linda Kollesh, membership and subscription
services officer at lkollesh@sogc.com.
Can you “Stump the Professor”
in 2012?
Since its inception, this event has become
Cases should include:
one of the most popular at the Society’s
1. Patient profile
Annual Clinical Meeting. All residents are
2. Reason for admission
invited to submit a detailed summary of an
3. Symptoms/problem list
interesting case, and the winning entries will
4. Past medical history
be selected by a committee. The individuals
5. Family and social history
whose entries are selected will be invited to
6. History of present illness/progress
present their case in the hopes of stumping
7. Lab work
our panel of ob/gyn experts at the meeting in
8. Medications
June. A $1,000 prize is awarded to both the
9. Follow up
best obstetrical
case and best
Deadline for submissions: April 1, 2012
gynaecological
Please send your draft power point presentation to Janie Poirier at jpoirier@sogc.com
case.
8
March • 2012
The objective of the SOGC Junior Member
Committee is to provide a forum in which
ob/gyns in training can express opinions
and recommendations pertaining to issues
directly impacting ob/gyn residents. The
committee develops programs for residents
and facilitates communication among the
resident communities of each university.
The committee enables a national voice
for residents.
If you are interested in this position, please
visit the Junior Members’ section of the SOGC
website, www.sogc.org, to find out what this
position entails. The deadline for submissions is
May 1, 2012.
Medical student on the
SOGC Junior Member Committee
The SOGC Junior Member Committee is looking
for a medical student representative for the
term from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013.
The Junior Members Committee consists
of residents from across the country who
are involved with various SOGC events and
activities, including the Annual Clinical Meeting
and the Resident Professional Development
Program. The committee also works in
collaboration with various organizations and
other committees, including the SOGC Council,
APOG and the SOGC Promotion of the Specialty
Committee.
The medical student representative who sits
on the committee will represent medical
student members from across the country and
be their active voice within the Junior Member
Committee.
If you are interested in this position, please
visit the Junior Members’ section of the SOGC
website, www.sogc.org, to find out what this
position entails. The deadline for submissions is
May 1, 2012.
ACM 2012
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Registe@
onlinec.org
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www.s
68th Annual Clinical Meeting
June 20–24, 2012
Photos © Ottawa Tourism
Ottawa, Ontario
The Westin Ottawa
Top 5 reasons to join us in Ottawa
1.The SOGC offers unparalleled expertise
Join us for Canada’s premier event in obstetrics and gynaecology, your chance to hear from national
and international experts and get practical and useful information to improve your practice.
2.A chance to connect with your peers
From social events to health breaks, there are many opportunities to network with over
1,000 health-care professionals who share your passions.
3.It’s your turn to make your voice heard
The Society’s strength is its members, and this is your chance to celebrate the achievements
of your peers and attend the Annual Business Meeting.
4.Enjoy beautiful Ottawa
After all, it’s not all about work. Canada’s capital region has museums, heritage buildings
and park spaces to explore — a great place to bring your family!
5.Get even more from your week
Several pre- and post-conference learning opportunities
are being offered in conjunction with our meeting.
the society of obstetricians
and gynaecologists of canada
780 Echo Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5R7
Tel: 1-800-561-2416 or 613-730-4192
Fax: 613-730-4314 events@sogc.com www.sogc.org
March • 2012
9
How does the SOGC promote human rights through
its ALARM International Program?
Find out at a special workshop
hosted by the International
Women’s Health Program at the
2012 Annual Clinical Meeting!
There is a clear intersection between the practice
of obstetrics worldwide and the promotion of
sexual and reproductive rights. After all, as
practitioners who usher in new life, what better
time and place for human rights to be fully
acknowledged and promoted, whether it is for
the mother, father or newborn. The respect of
sexual and reproductive rights, and women’s
rights in particular, is directly linked to maternal
survival around the globe.
The SOGC’s International Women’s Health
Program volunteers travel to partner countries
in low-resource settings to deliver courses on
emergency obstetrics and neonatal care; the
ALARM International Program course is taught
within a framework of sexual and reproductive
rights and it is through plenary sessions, case
studies and workshop activities that a forum is
provided for the course participants to explore
the topic of rights in their own practice, work
environment and society.
During the 2012 Annual Clinical Meeting in
Ottawa, the International Women’s Health
Program invites all SOGC members who are
interested in learning more about the ALARM
International Program, and its rights-based
approach to obstetrics training in particular,
Workshop: Rights-based approach
to obstetrics – Promoting
international standards
Date: Thursday, June 21
Time: 9:00a.m. – 12:00p.m.
Location: Westin Hotel, Ottawa
to come and experience it for themselves in a
thought provoking Sexual and Reproductive
Rights Workshop.
For more information about this workshop,
please contact the SOGC’s International Women’s
Health Program: intl@sogc.com
Safer obstetrics in rural Tanzania
The SOGC is currently participating in a
collaborative project with the Canadian Network
for International Surgery (CNIS) with funding
obtained from the Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA). The “Safer
Obstetrics in Rural Tanzania” project aims to
upgrade the skills of non-physician clinicians in
the rural regions of Mbeya, Tanga, Moshi, and
Mwanza, with an ultimate goal of contributing
to the reduction of maternal and newborn
mortality and morbidity in Tanzania.
There is a massive shortage of health
professionals in Tanzania, which means that
non-physician clinicians, including clinical
officers, assistant medical officers and midwives,
provide most of the obstetric care offered
in rural areas. Increasing the numbers of
non-physician clinicians and providing quality
training opportunities for them is critical to
strengthening the health system and the
services offered to rural populations. The training
courses offered within the proposed project
will allow non-physician clinicians to provide
emergency obstetrical care, identify high-risk
10
March • 2012
Operative Obstetrics courses and will also
deliver its Fundamental Interventions Referral
and Safe Transfer (FIRST) course at four clinical
officer schools.
Rather than develop a new emergency
obstetrical care course, the CNIS invited the
SOGC to provide the ALARM International
Program (AIP) as a complement to the CNIS
courses. The SOGC’s role will be to upgrade
the skills and knowledge of midwives,
obstetricians and assistant medical officers
on emergency obstetrical care, through
implementation of the ALARM International
Program. The SOGC’s volunteer AIP instructors
will travel to Tanzania in April, May and June
of 2012 to deliver the first four AIP courses in
each of the partner Assistant Medical Officer
training institutions.
cases for safe referral, and be able to perform
caesarean sections.
The CNIS will provide training through delivery
of its Essential Surgical Skills and Structured
The SOGC is enthusiastic about bringing the
ALARM International Program to Tanzania and
having an opportunity to work in partnership
with CNIS towards the common goal of ensuring
safer obstetrics for rural Tanzania.
Canadian Foundation
for Women’s Health
Choosing caesarean?
Member publishes book
on controversial topic
Join us for our non-event:
visit www.cfwh.org!
Dear SOGC member,
SOGC member Dr. Magnus Murphy has recently published a book called Choosing
Cesarean: A Natural Birth Plan. Chapters delve into the politics of birth, the true
risks and actual costs of caesareans, evidence on pelvic floor protection, sex and
satisfaction, a minute-by-minute guide to the day of surgery, tips for preparation and
recovery, worldwide caesarean rates, attitudes and
experiences, plus the doctors who choose caesareans.
“Planning a caesarean without any medical or
obstetrical need is frowned upon in many quarters,
and doctors who are willing to perform elective
caesareans are sometimes even accused of unethical
conduct,” says Dr. Murphy. “But I believe that these
attitudes are misguided.”
While not promoting planned caesarean delivery as the
best or safest option for all women, the two authors obstetrician and gynaecologist Magnus Murphy and journalist Pauline McDonagh
Hull - make a case that surgery is a legitimate decision for informed women to make.
Written in accessible, jargon-free language and including a helpful glossary of
medical terms and an intensively researched reference section, Choosing Cesarean is
a useful guide for women and their families, as well as medical professionals.
Dr. Murphy is an assistant clinical professor in the department of obstetrics and
gynaecology at the University of Calgary. He is also in private practice specializing
in pelvic floor disorders and at the Pelvic Floor Clinic at the Calgary Regional Health
Authority, and is the author of Pelvic Health and Childbirth: What Every Woman
Needs to Know.
Pauline McDonagh Hull is editor of www.electivecesarean.com, a website that
provides specific information on elective caesareans and offers support to women
with this birth plan. She also campaigns for recognition of the legitimacy of planned
caesareans via her blog, www.cesareandebate.blogspot.com.
March 8, 2012: around the world on International Women’s Day, people
will be recognizing the importance of the lives of girls and women, and
celebrating achievements for women, health and equality.
This year, the Canadian Foundation for Women’s Health would like to take
this opportunity to highlight our International Women’s Health Program.
We know that women’s health around the world is important to you –
and your donations are helping to improve the lives and rights of women
and their children in low-resource countries.
You are invited to our International Women’s Day Non-Event. Rather
than hosting a gala, benefit or luncheon, we want you to stay at home
and relax! We are encouraging all of our donors and supporters of the
SOGC’s International Women’s Health Program to purchase a ticket to our
“Non-Event,” and in return make a meaningful donation to the Canadian
Foundation for Women’s Health.
Your contribution will be distributed between the CFWH and the
SOGC’s newest initiative in Burkina Faso, a cervical cancer prevention
project which aims to reduce the burden of cervical cancer through the
strengthening of regional- and community-level health infrastructure
capacity, community outreach and advocacy efforts. A gala ticket can
range from $50 to $200, but we are grateful for any amount you are
comfortable with. You will receive a charitable tax receipt for the total
amount if the donation is over $20.
The CFWH is proud to support such initiatives and to contribute to the
efforts of reducing health inequalities in some of the world’s most
vulnerable populations. Please join in the celebration, this March 8 2012, by
sharing this important non-event with your colleagues, friends and family.
Thank you for being a loyal and generous CFWH donor.
March • 2012
11
Book bef
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The SOGC presents:
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The SOGC presents:
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CPD FEE: $995*
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SOGC fee subject to GST or HST
Call: 1-888-523-3732 • www.sogc.org
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada publishes ten issues of the SOGC News (a membership newsletter) each year.
Please direct any comments or news items to editor Heather Bell at hbell@sogc.com or 1-800-561-2416 ext. 325.
The newsletter is published in print (delivered by mail) and electronically (delivered by email). If you are a member and would like to change how you
receive your subscription, please contact membership and subscription services officer Linda Kollesh at lkollesh@sogc.com or 1-800-561-2416 ext. 233.
An archive of past newsletters is available at www.sogc.org.
12
March • 2012