BSPOGA 2011 - 1st World Congress on Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Andrology: Psychosomatic and Biological Perspectives on Clinical Controversies

Welcome to the website of the British Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Andrology (BSPOGA).
http://www.bspoga.org/

The British Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Andrology (BSPOGA), as its name suggests, is the only society with a name which literally means the mental (Greek, psyche) & physical (Greek soma) interactions of women’s (Obstetrics, Gynaecology) and men’s (Andrology) health.

BSPOGA’s objective is to encourage a better understanding and improved management of the psychosocial, emotional, and biological problems associated with pregnancy, birth and diseases of the reproductive organs in women and men, through education and training. This is relevant to the current needs of both the medical profession and the general public.

The society is a multidisciplinary charity and its membership is open to any person over the age of 18 years including members of the public. Current membership includes obstetricians & gynaecologists, general practitioners, psychiatrists, midwives, nurses, psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists and students.

Further details: It was founded to promote awareness of the psychological problems related to reproductive and associated conditions in women and men so that appropriate treatment could be given. The society aims to foster the integration of both physical and psychological care by clinicians working in this area. To facilitate awareness and learning we organise educational meetings and workshops. We also encourage research, publications and sponsor prizes for students and trainees who present outstanding work of psychosomatic relevance.

Our areas of concern comprise both normal and problematic aspects and include the following conditions:

1) Pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period

2) Issues related to fertility, infertility and pregnancy loss

3) Reproductive health issues which may give rise to psychosocial distress, such as menstrual problems, contraception, pelvic pain, vulval pain, sexual morbidity, operative interventions, paediatric gynaecology, menopause and tumours of the reproductive organs

4) Management and communication related to birth defects, still-birth, and obstetrical & gynaecological sequelae of assault and substance misuse

5) Male specific conditions relevant to infertility, sexual health, benign and malignant conditions of the genital tract affecting the prostate, testes, etc.

6) Mental disorders associated with 1-5 (above) such as, anxiety, body image, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.
BSPOGA’s comprehensive approach towards health concurs with the WHO definition of ‘health for all’.

We are affiliated with the International Society for Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology which also promotes the study of psychobiological, psychosocial, ethical and cross-cultural problems in obstetrics and gynaecology, women’s health and reproductive health. We also have strong links to other organisations working in this area (IPM, BASRT, BICA and the Marcé Society). Links to all these societies are on our links page.

Future plans:

We intend to continue pursuing our objective by:

Working in close cooperation with the International Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ISPOG) and other organisations of similar interests.
Arranging at least one conference annually where members will be encouraged to present the results of their own work or research.
Actively encouraging the development of research into psychosomatic problems.
Establishing a newsletter which will report on past, present and future activities of the Society.
Encouraging/facilitating members in the understanding of the role of counselling and psychotherapy in Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Andrology.
Providing information to members of the public on the psychological problems associated with reproductive and associated conditions in women and men, so that they can seek appropriate treatment and thereby reduce inappropriate medical and surgical interventions.