Current projects in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and the Gulf, as well as details of RCOG International Representative Committees and Liaison Groups in the region. You’ll also find information about volunteering opportunities, the work other people are doing overseas and how to get in touch with them.
International Representative Committees (IRCs)
- Egypt
Chair: Professor Yasser Abou Talib - Jordan
Chair: Dr M Y S El-Zibdeh - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Chair: Dr Amina Butt - Kuwait
Chair: Dr Abeer Alzaydai - Qatar
Chair: Dr Osman Ortashi - United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Chair: Dr Salima Wani
Liaison Groups (LGs)
- Egypt
Chair: Dr M S Abdel Fattah - Iraq
Chair: Dr Mohammad Aziz - Syria
Chair: Dr Saladin Sawan
Top women’s health concerns and challenges, identified by our committees:
- Family Planning
- Rising Caesarean Section (CS) rate
- Complications in pregnancy due to obesity
Family planning was identified as a major health concern in the region, as women have cited inaccessibility and lack of knowledge of family planning methods. Furthermore, there is a need to raise male awareness of contraception to avoid unintended pregnancies.
The region bears some of the highest rates of C-sections globally, this is due to fear of arising complications during natural birth and the possible litigations it may lead to for doctors. Consequently, instrumental delivery training has been on a decline.
A prevalence of obesity among women of a reproductive age has led to health concerns over complications during pregnancy, such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and etc. In addition, to adversely effective neonatal outcomes and risking childhood obesity and childhood metabolic syndrome.