Submissions

Author Guidelines

PUBLICATION GUIDELINES – INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

The Brazilian Journal of Gynecology (ISSN 0368-1416) is a continuous-flow publication for scientific dissemination by the Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the State of Rio de Janeiro. It is intended for professionals working in the field of gynecology and obstetrics and professionals in related fields, with the aim of publishing original contributions submitted for review that address topics relevant to gynecology, obstetrics, and related fields. Both national and international contributions are welcome. The selection of manuscripts for publication involves an evaluation of originality, relevance of the topic, and quality of the scientific methodology used, as well as compliance with the journal’s editorial standards. All manuscripts submitted to the journal will be reviewed by two or more anonymous reviewers; confidentiality is guaranteed throughout the review process. Materials related to rejected articles will not be returned.

The content of the submitted material must not have been previously published or submitted to other journals for publication. To be published in other journals, even partially, it will require written approval from the editors. Copies of the reviewers’ reports will be sent to the authors. Accepted and conditionally accepted manuscripts will be sent to the authors so they can make the necessary modifications and be aware of the changes that will be made during the editing process. Authors must return the text with the requested modifications, justifying in the cover letter, if applicable, the reason for not accepting the suggestions. If the manuscript is not returned within six months, the journal will assume that the authors are no longer interested in publication.

Authors bear full responsibility for the concepts and statements included in the articles. The manuscript submitted for publication must be written in Portuguese, English, or Spanish and fall into one of the journal’s different article categories.

Instructions to Authors

The following guidelines are based on recommendations proposed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, published in the article: Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication, which was updated in April 2010 and is available at http://www.icmje.org/ .

See also (download PDF): INUFORM – ICMJ Writing and Editing Requirements

Journal Sections

1. Original articles: full-length prospective, experimental, or retrospective articles. Manuscripts reporting the results of clinical or experimental trials will be given priority for publication.
   
   2. Preliminary notes: from studies in the final stages of data collection, but whose results are relevant and warrant publication.
   
   3. Case reports: of great interest and well-documented from a clinical and laboratory perspective.
   
   4. New techniques: presentation of innovations in diagnostics, surgical techniques, and treatments, provided they are not overt or covert advertising of drugs or other products.
   
   5. Review or update articles: including a critical and systematic evaluation of the literature, with a description of the procedures adopted, definition and scope of the topic, conclusions, and references; may include meta-analyses. They must be up to date.
   
   6. Editorial comments: when requested from members of the Editorial Board.
   
   7. Thesis abstracts: submitted and approved within the last 12 months, counting from the date of submission of the abstract (see instructions for thesis abstracts in “Manuscript Preparation”). They should be approximately 250 words and follow standard guidelines regarding format and content, including at least three keywords or key terms. The abstract must be submitted on our journal’s page on the OJS platform.
   
   8. Letters to the editor: whether or not they address an editorial issue. Letters may be summarized by the editorial staff, provided the main points are retained. In the case of criticism of published works, the letter will be sent to the authors so that their response may be published simultaneously.
   
   9. Technical reports: from public service agencies discussing topics of great interest to public health and related to obstetrics and gynecology.

General Information

1. Articles must be double-spaced throughout all sections, from the title page to the references, tables, and captions. Each page should contain approximately 25 lines in a single column. Preferably, use a Microsoft Word® document with 12-point Times New Roman font. Do not highlight text: no underlining or boldface. Number all pages, starting with the title page.

2. Do not capitalize proper nouns (except for the first letter) in the text or references. Do not use periods in acronyms (WHO instead of W.H.O.). When using acronyms, provide their full form the first time they appear.

3. The journal will not accept editorial material for commercial purposes. 5. The author will be notified by letter or email of the receipt of the manuscript and its reference number in the journal. Articles that comply with the Publication Guidelines – Instructions to Authors and fit within the journal’s editorial policy will be forwarded to two reviewers appointed by the editor for review.

4. The number of authors for each manuscript is limited to nine. Works with collective (institutional) authorship must specify the responsible authors. Collaborative research and multicenter studies must list as authors the researchers responsible for the applied protocols (up to seven). Other contributors may be cited in the Acknowledgments section or as “Additional Authorship Information” at the end of the article. The concept of co-authorship is based on each person’s substantial contribution, whether in the conception and planning of the study, analysis and interpretation of data, writing, or critical review of the manuscript. However, studies involving a larger number of authors may be accepted upon presentation of a well- d rationale.

All authors must approve the final version to be published.

Publication Standards – Instructions to Authors

5. Conflicts of interest: situations that may inappropriately influence the development or conclusions of the work must be disclosed. These situations include equity holdings in companies that produce drugs or equipment cited or used in the research, as well as their competitors. Grants received, employment relationships, consulting engagements, etc., are also considered conflicts of interest.

6. When the research involves human subjects, a copy of the approval from the Ethics Committee of the institution where the work was conducted must be submitted.

7. For original manuscripts, do not exceed 25 pages of typed text. Limit the number of Tables and Figures to what is necessary to present the results to be discussed (as a general rule, limit them to five). For Case Reports and Equipment and Techniques, do not exceed 15 pages, also reducing the number of figures and/or tables. Preliminary Notes should be short texts of up to 800 words, with five references and two figures (see Manuscript Preparation – Results).

8. Original manuscripts that do not follow these instructions will be returned to the authors for necessary revisions prior to evaluation by the Editorial Board.

9. Copies of manuscripts must be accompanied by a cover letter signed by all authors. This letter must explicitly state the authors’ agreement with the editorial standards, the review process, and the transfer of copyright to the journal. Published material becomes the property of the Brazilian Journal of Gynecology and may only be reproduced in whole or in part with its consent.

Submission of the manuscript and its final version must be registered on our JBG OJS page.

Manuscript Checklist

Before submitting the manuscript, please verify that the Instructions for Authors have been followed and that the items below have been included:

1. A cover letter signed by all authors.

2. Citation of project approval by the Research Ethics Committee (see Patients and Methods section).

3. Conflicts of interest: where applicable, these must be disclosed without omitting relevant information.

4. Clearly define each author’s contribution.

5. Describe funding sources.

6. Title page with all requested information.

7. Structured abstract (Introduction, Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion) and an abstract consistent with the text of the paper.

8. At least three keywords related to the text and their respective translations.

9. Appropriate captions for figures, photos, tables, and graphs.

10. Tables and Figures: all properly cited in the text and numbered. Captions allow the reader to understand the Tables and Figures.

11. References: numbered in the order in which they are cited in the text and properly formatted. All cited works must be listed in the References, and all references listed must be cited in the text.

Manuscript Preparation

Title page: include the title of the work in English and Portuguese, the authors’ full names without abbreviations, the name of the institution where the work was conducted, the authors’ institutional affiliations, and information regarding support received in the form of grants, equipment, or medications. Provide the name, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address of the corresponding author.

Study abstract on the second page: for full-length articles, write a structured abstract that must be divided into defined sections: Introduction, Objective, Methods, Results, and Conclusion. It should be approximately 250 words. The abstract should provide relevant information, allowing the reader to get a general idea of the work. It should include a brief description of the methods and the statistical analysis performed. Report the most relevant numerical results rather than indicating the statistical significance found. The conclusion should be based on the research question and the study’s results, not on the literature. Avoid using abbreviations and symbols. Do not cite references in the Abstract.

On the same page as the Abstract, include at least three keywords that will be used to compile the journal’s annual index. They must be based on DeCS (Health Sciences Descriptors), published by Bireme, which is a translation of MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) from the National Library of Medicine (available at: http://decs.bvs.br).

Another page must contain the Abstract as an exact version of the structured Abstract (Introduction, Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion). It must also be accompanied by the Portuguese version of the keywords (palavras-chave). The Abstract for Case Reports does not need to be structured and is limited to 100 words. Preliminary Notes do not require an Abstract.

Introduction: Repeat the full title in English and Portuguese at the top of the first page of the introduction . In this section, present the current state of knowledge on the studied topic, as well as divergences and gaps that may justify the development of the study, but without an extensive literature review. For Case Reports, summarize the information regarding the reported condition and justify its presentation as an isolated case.

Objective: clearly describe the objective of the study.

Methods: begin this section by indicating the study design—prospective or retrospective; clinical or experimental trial; randomized or non-randomized case distribution, etc. Describe the selection criteria for patients or the experimental group, including controls. Identify the equipment and reagents used. If the methodology applied has been used previously, provide references, along with a brief description of the method. In addition, describe the statistical methods adopted and the comparisons for which each test was used. It is mandatory to mention the approval of the project by the Institutional Review Board of the institution where the study was conducted. Research designed to evaluate the efficacy or tolerability of a treatment or drug must necessarily include an appropriate control group. For additional information on the design of this type of study, consult the ICH Harmonized Tripartite Guideline – Choice of Control Group and Related Issues in Clinical Trials (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/tpd-dpt/e10_e.html).

Results: Present the results in a logical sequence, using text, tables, and figures. Provide results that are relevant to the study’s objective and that will be discussed. Do not repeat all the data from the Tables and Figures in this section, but describe and highlight the main findings without interpreting them. In Case Reports, the Methods and Results sections are replaced by the case description; other sections remain the same.

Discussion: Highlight new and original information obtained during the investigation. Do not repeat data and information already mentioned in the Introduction and Results sections. Avoid citing tables and figures. Emphasize the appropriateness of the methods used in the investigation. Compare and contrast your observations with those of other authors, commenting on and explaining possible differences. Explain the implications of the findings and their limitations, and make the resulting recommendations. At the end of the discussion, include the following items: Strengths and Limitations (Strengths: Limitations:)

Conclusion: should be based on the research question and the study’s results, not on the literature. It should be presented in a straightforward manner, avoiding “philosophical texts.”

Publication Standards – Instructions for Authors

For Case Reports, base the discussion on a comprehensive and up-to-date literature review. When necessary, tabulate the information gathered from the literature for comparison.

Acknowledgments: Acknowledge individuals who contributed intellectually to the work but whose contribution does not warrant co-authorship, as well as those who provided material support.

References (Vancouver style): include in this section all authors and works cited in the text and vice versa. Number the references in the order in which they are mentioned in the article and use these numbers for citations in the text. Avoid an excessive number of references by selecting the most relevant for each statement, giving preference to recent works. Do not use citations that are difficult for the journal’s readers to access, such as abstracts of papers presented at conferences or other publications with limited distribution. Do not use references such as “unpublished observations” and “personal communication.” Articles accepted for publication may be cited with the statement: “accepted and awaiting publication” or “in press,” indicating the journal. For citations of other works by the study’s authors, select only original articles (do not cite chapters or reviews) published in peer-reviewed journals and related to the topic under investigation. The number of references should be limited to 25. For Preliminary Notes, the limit is ten references. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the reference data. For all references, cite all authors up to six. If the reference has more than six authors, cite the first six, followed by the expression et al., as in the following examples:

journal articles

• Print version:

Teixeira JC, Derchain SFM, Teixeira LC, Santos CC, Panetta K, Zeferino LC. Evaluation of the male sexual partner and risk of relapse in women treated for genital human papillomavirus (HPV) lesions. BRGO 2002; 24(5): 315-320.

Barreto NA, Sant'anna RRP, Silva LBG, Uehara AA, Guimarães RC, Duarte IMD et al. Phenotypic and molecular characterization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2002–2003. DST - J bras Doenças Sex Transm 2004; 16(3): 32-42.

• Electronic version:

Cabar FR, Nomura RMY, Costa LCV, Alves EA, Zugaib M. Previous cesarean section as a risk factor for placental abruption. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. [online journal]. October 2004 [cited 2005 Mar 19]; 26(9): [approx. 15 p.]. Available at: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-72032004000900006&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt Accessed on: 10/07/2007.

Kremer LCM, Caron HN. Anthracycline cardiotoxicity in children [perspective]. N Engl J Med [online journal]. July 2004 [cited 2004 Sep 29];351(2):[approx. 2 p.]. Available from: http://gateway.ut.ovid.com/gw1/ovidweb.cgi.

Books:

Tavares W, Marinho LAC. Diagnostic and treatment guidelines for infectious and parasitic diseases.

São Paulo: Editora Atheneu; 2005.

Tavares W. Manual of antibiotics and anti-infective chemotherapeutics. 3rd ed. São Paulo: Editora Atheneu; 2001.

• Book chapters:

Duarte G. STDs during pregnancy and the postpartum period. In: Passos MRL. Deessetology, STDs 5. 5th ed. Rio de

Janeiro: Cultura Médica Publishing House; 2005. pp. 685–706.

Citation of websites in electronic format: for official statistical information only. Indicate the responsible agency, the web address, and the name of the file or entry. Include the date of access and the time the cited information was obtained.

Tables: save each table on a separate sheet, double-spaced and in Arial 8 font. They must be numbered sequentially, in Arabic numerals, in the order in which they were cited in the text. All tables must have a title, and all columns in the table must be identified with a header. The caption should provide information that allows the reader to understand the content of the tables and figures, even without reading the text of the paper. Horizontal lines should be simple and limited to two at the top and one at the bottom of the table. Do not use vertical lines. Do not use table creation functions, justification commands, decimal alignment, or centered alignment. Use the Tab key instead of the Space bar to separate columns and the Enter key for new lines. The table footer should include a legend for the abbreviations and statistical tests used.

Figures (graphs, photographs, and illustrations): Save the figures on separate sheets and number them sequentially in Arabic numerals, according to the order in which they are cited in the text. All figures may be in color or black and white, with good print quality and a caption typed in Arial 8 font. On the CD, they must be submitted in a separate electronic file from the text (the image used in the text document does not indicate that the original file was copied). To avoid problems that could compromise the journal’s standards, the image scanning process must adhere to the following parameters: for graphs or diagrams, use 800 dpi/bitmap for lines; for illustrations and photos, use 300 dpi/CMYK or grayscale. In all cases, the file extension must be .tif and/or .jpg. If it is not possible to submit the electronic file of the figure, the originals must be sent as laser prints (graphs and diagrams) or on photo paper so that they can be properly scanned. Files with the extensions .xls (Excel), .cdr (CorelDraw), .eps, and .wmf will also be accepted for vector illustrations (graphs, drawings, diagrams). A maximum of five figures will be accepted. If the figures have been published elsewhere, they must be accompanied by written authorization from the author/publisher, and the source must be cited in the figure caption.

Captions: Save captions double-spaced, together with their respective figures (graphs, photographs, and illustrations) and tables. All captions must be numbered in Arabic numerals, corresponding to each figure and table in the order in which they were cited in the manuscript.

Abbreviations and acronyms: must be preceded by the full term when cited for the first time in the manuscript. In table and figure captions, they must be accompanied by the full term. Abbreviations and acronyms must be accompanied by their full names. Abbreviations and acronyms should not be used in article titles or abstracts.

Original Articles

Standard Section Policy