The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, usually just FIGO ("fee'go") as the acronym of its French name Fédération Internationale de Gynécologie et d'Obstétrique, is a worldwide non-governmental organisation representing obstetricians and gynaecologists in over one hundred territories. It was founded on 26 July 1954 in Geneva, Switzerland, to "promote the well-being of women and to raise the standard of practice in obstetrics and gynaecology". Membership is currently composed of 132 professional societies ('National Member Societies') of obstetricians and gynaecologists worldwide.
The headquarters of FIGO was initially located at Geneva, Switzerland. The FIGO Secretariat is located at London, United Kingdom.[2]
Core activities
The aim of FIGO is to improve the health and well-being of women and newborns worldwide. FIGO works to enable every woman to achieve active participation in her own health and rights, and the highest possible standards of health. It is financed by dues of member societies, grants, and educational activities.
FIGO's work covers many critical aspects of obstetrics and gynaecology and women's health and rights, including:
adolescent health
cervical cancer
environmental health
refugee and migrant health
noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)
sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
universal health coverage (UHC)
FIGO implements global programmes on specific women's health issues, in collaboration with National Member Societies and/or partner organisations. These include:
Fistula Surgery Training Initiative
Postpartum Family Planning (PPIUD)
Advocating Safe Abortion Project
Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH)
FIGO Committees and Working Groups are dedicated to critical sub-specialty issues across obstetrics, gynecology and related fields:
Contraception and Family Planning (Committee)
Ethical and Professional Aspects of Human Reproduction and Women's Health (Committee)
Fistula and Genital Trauma (Committee)
Gynecologic Oncology (Committee)
Human Rights, Refugees and Violence Against Women (Committee)
Menstrual Disorders (Committee)
Minimal Access Surgery (Committee)
Pregnancy and Noncommunicable Diseases (Committee)
Reproductive Developmental Environmental Health (Committee)
Reproductive Medicine, Endocrinology and Infertility (Committee)
FIGO System 1 for uterine bleeding. The system for definition and nomenclature of normal and abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in the reproductive years.
In 2011, FIGO recognized two systems designed to aid research, education, and clinical care of women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in the reproductive years.
"FIGO Newsletter" – published monthly, electronically
FIGO Ethics Guidelines have been reproduced (with commentary) in academic periodicals: e.g. (2006) 7 Medical Law International 361.
World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics
FIGO conducts a triennial meeting, the World Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology.[7] In addition the society sponsors fellowships, lectures, provides reports about women's health, and offers grants. Importantly through international committees consensus guidelines are achieved about evaluation and treatment of gynecological and obstetrical disorders.
German stamp, XI FIGO World Congress 1985
No
Date
City
II
22–28 June 1958
Montreal
V
23–30 September 1967
Sydney
VI
April 1970
New York
VII
August 1973
Moscow
VIII
17–22 October 1976
Mexico
IX
25–31 October 1979
Tokyo
X
17–22 October 1982
San Francisco
XI
15–20 September 1985
Berlin
XII
October 1988
Rio de Janeiro
XIII
August 1991
Singapore
XIV
September 1994
Montreal
XV
August 1997
Copenhagen
XVI
August 2000
Washington DC
XVII
2–7 November 2003
Santiago
XVIII
November 2006
Kuala Lumpur
XIX
4–9 October 2009
Cape Town
XX
7–12 October 2012
Rome
XXI
4-9 October 2015
Vancouver
XXII
14-19 October 2018
Rio de Janeiro
XXIV
9–12 October 2023
Paris
Member associations
The following 124 professional societies are members of FIGO as of December 2010:
Afghan Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Albanian Association of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
John Harold Peel, president from 1970-1973, leading British obstetrician and gynecologist, Surgeon-Gynaecologist to Elizabeth II from 1961 to 1973, present at a number of royal births
Robert Caldeyro-Barcia, president from 1976-1979, Uruguayan doctor, pioneer in the field of maternal-fetal medicine, co-creator of Montevideo units, a measure of uterine performance during labor
José Aristodemo Pinotti, president from 1988-1991, Brazilian physician, gynecological surgeon, university professor, scientific and educational leader and politician
Markku Seppälä, president from 1997-2000, Finnish specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, published approximately 500 peer-reviewed studies in international journals, winner of multiple awards such as the Matti Äyräpää Prize
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