The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG, the College) is pleased to announce that it has been successful in securing funding from the Australian Commonwealth Government to support the development of clinical resources and initiatives aimed at improving care for women living with endometriosis and persistent pelvic pain.

Recent investigations and the increased focus on care in Victoria have highlighted the need for urgent improvements, resources, education, and training across the wider system.

°”ÍűTV has continued its ongoing advocacy in this area by engaging directly with key stakeholders, including the Hon. Mark Butler MP, Federal Minister for Health and Ageing; the Hon. Mary-Anne Thomas, Victorian Minister for Health; the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP); Safer Care Victoria; consumer representatives; and others, to address how specialist capability and confidence can be strengthened to improve patient outcomes.

As a result, the government has today announced that it will commit a $7.45 million package to support specialist and primary care capability enhancement, among other services and initiatives. This funding will support RANZCOG and RACGP to make improvements to clinical guidance and care standards for persistent pelvic pain and endometriosis, as well as provide education and training for specialists, GPs and other health providers included in multidisciplinary care.

Dr Nisha Khot, RANZCOG President, welcomed today’s announcement, saying, “Improving care for women with pelvic pain and endometriosis has long been a priority for the College. The College has worked closely with the Government to secure this funding. We commend the Government for investing in much-needed initiatives that will strengthen clinical guidance, support multidisciplinary models of care, and better equip clinicians to deliver safe, evidence-based care.”

Endometriosis and pelvic pain have been underfunded and under-researched for too long. While there is still much more to be done to improve understanding and close gaps, this investment represents an important step toward better supporting clinicians and improving outcomes for women living with these complex conditions.

–ÌęDr Nisha Khot, RANZCOG President

Dr Marilla Druitt, RANZCOG Victorian Committee Chair, and President of Pelvic Pain Victoria, says “Education and training are critical to improving how we manage pelvic pain. Investment in building the knowledge and skills of a broad range of clinicians across specialties will strengthen clinical capability, support best-practice multidisciplinary care, and ultimately lead to better outcomes for women.”

°”ÍűTV looks forward to working closely with government, clinicians, consumers, and key stakeholders to implement these initiatives and ensure they translate into meaningful improvements in care. The College remains committed to supporting clinicians with the guidance, education, and tools needed to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care, and to improving outcomes for women living with endometriosis and persistent pelvic pain.

Media enquiries

Bec McPhee
Head of Advocacy & Communications
bmcphee@ranzcog.edu.au
+61 413 258 166

Dr Sebastian Leathersich was the recipient of the Jean Murray Jones Scholarship in 2024. A subspecialist in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (CREI), Dr Leathersich undertook a two-year clinical research fellowship in Spain at Dexeus Mujer and the University of Barcelona with the support of the scholarship.

The College interviewed Dr Leathersich to learn more about his experience and how it has influenced his clinical practice upon his return to Western Australia.

What inspired you to apply for the Jean Murray Jones Scholarship?

As he reached the end of his FRANZCOG training and was partway through his CREI subspecialty training, Dr Leathersich was eager to gain an international perspective on clinical practice that he was unable to access within Western Australia. “I also wanted the opportunity to engage in more clinical research that I felt wasn’t really available in Australia.”

Through researching international opportunities, he identified the two-year combined clinical research fellowship at internationally acclaimed institution Dexeus Mujer, in Barcelona. As is the case with many international fellowships, Dr Leathersich would be required to obtain external funding. This is where the Jean Murray Jones Scholarship enabled him to take 18 months away from clinical work in Australia to pursue research in Spain, which is forming the basis for his PhD.

What did you enjoy the most about the experience of working in Barcelona?

In addition to the joys of living in a beautiful Mediterranean city and polishing his Spanish language skills, Dr Leathersich valued working in a unit that produces extensive clinical research.

It gave me the opportunity to learn and understand how to run clinical trials, how to design and implement clinical research. That’s something that I’ll certainly be bringing back into my practice here.

During his two-year fellowship, Dr Leathersich worked under the supervision of internationally recognised reproductive medicine leader Professor Nikolaos Polyzos. He reflects that he developed and cemented “global relationships with collaborators that I hope to continue to work with throughout the rest of my career.”

Having an international network of academic and clinical colleagues is invaluable. “I can pick up the phone any hour of the day to talk through similar problems that we might encounter here within our clinical work or in implementing clinical research programmes.”

What are some of the skills that you developed overseas that you’ve brought back to your clinical practice in Western Australia?

Dr Leathersich emphasises that one of the most beneficial skills he acquired through his international experience was learning different ways of approaching clinical problems.

Working within a health system that has very different regulation and very different structure, in Spain, allowed me to understand different ways of managing common problems within infertility and reproductive endocrinology that we don’t have here in Australia.

What are your key tips or recommendations for anyone considering applying for the Jean Murray Jones Scholarship?

Anyone who is reaching the completion of their training in Western Australia should consider if the scholarship could benefit them, Dr Leathersich says.

“Consider what your priorities are, what you’d like to achieve with your fellowship…and consider how your fellowship is going to contribute back to the WA community when you return.” He encourages applicants to think “outside the box [about] how you can gain something that you wouldn’t get within WA or within Australia.”

How to apply

The Jean Murray Jones Scholarship opens on Thursday 30 April 2026 to any Western Australian-based RANZCOG Fellows or FRANCOG Trainees who have completed all requirements of core training. If you are interested in applying for the 2026 scholarship, now is the time to explore opportunities you would like to pursue outside of WA.

Additional eligibility criteria and application information is available on the Jean Murray Jones Scholarship page. Applications close on Tuesday 30 June 2026.

For further queries, please contact foundation@ranzcog.edu.au.

In light of the publication of the of the Victoria’s Government’s Inquiry Into Women’s Pain Bridging the Gender Pain Gap, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG, the College), the Australasian Gynaecological Endoscopy and Surgery Society (AGES), The Faculty of Pain Medicine ANZCA (FPM), the Australian Pain Society (APS) and the New Zealand Pain Society (NZPS) have issued a joint-statement on best-practice approaches to the management of endometriosis and pelvic pain.

The Inquiry gathered insights from over 13,000 women, girls, carers, healthcare professionals, peak bodies, and researchers to unveil the experiences of girls and women with pain conditions and in accessing pain relief. Recommendations set a clear roadmap for reform and will guide system-wide improvements to bridge the gender pain gap and ensure women’s pain is recognised, understood and addressed.ÌęThis group recognises that women with pain are their own experts in pelvic pain and will endeavour to partner with them to improve their lives. We recognise that they have felt dismissed and we will do better in hearing their needs.

°”ÍűTV, AGES, FPM, the APS & the NZPS welcome the recommendations laid out in the report and are committed to supporting multidisciplinary clinicians to provide the highest quality care for people affected by persistent pelvic pain. We acknowledge the five key lessons from the inquiry, including recommendations to make women’s healthcare easier to access, grow and train the workforce, strengthen research, and ensure care is free from bias and discrimination, and delivered in a trauma-informed, culturally and linguistically appropriate way.

Our approaches to clinical care should always be guided by the best available clinical evidence and recommendations, which is underpinned by recommendation 1.3 of the report identifying a need to, “improve clinical standards and support best practice.”

°”ÍűTV developed and published the Australian Living Evidence Guideline: Endometriosis in May 2025; a national guideline compiling the best available scientific evidence to assist the detection, diagnosis and management of endometriosis, and a related condition, adenomyosis. The living evidence guideline incorporates new research, a broader scope, and wide-ranging multidisciplinary expert input including that of people with lived experience, gynaecologists, primary care providers, physiotherapists and pain specialists. Work is currently underway to adapt this guideline for the Aotearoa New Zealand context.

It’s important that we have nationally recognised standards of care and that we as clinicians make sure that across-the-board women receive the same standard of care, wherever they are. The College’s recently released guideline is a great place to start – this is evidence-based, and a ‘living guideline’, meaning it will be updated regularly with the latest research as it emerges.

– Dr Nisha Khot, RANZCOG President

A significant change as part of the guideline was the emphasis on non-invasive diagnosis with emerging evidence suggesting that a greater number of cases can be diagnosed with increasing accuracy using techniques such as transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Closely linked, this is backed up by the findings of the Inquiry which suggests that we, “improve non-surgical referral pathways 
 including access to non-surgical management and treatment options as part of a comprehensive care pathway.”

While laparoscopy can be an important diagnostic tool or treatment for some people with endometriosis and pelvic pain, the new RANZCOG guideline is clear that it should not be the only treatment option. Surgery should be performed only when clinically indicated, after careful discussion of benefits and risks by appropriately credentialed surgeons. There is evidence to support laparoscopic surgeries for the management of endometriosis and pelvic pain. In many cases, repeated procedures should be avoided, as they may not improve women’s pain or long-term outcomes and carry risks.

Sometimes we focus heavily on the surgical aspects of treatment, but persistent pelvic pain is often far more complex than what surgery alone can address. In fact, we know that multiple surgeries can sometimes worsen this pain. Any surgical intervention should be judicious, evidence-informed, and integrated into a broader interdisciplinary care plan that supports long-term wellbeing.

– Dr Michael Wynn-Williams, President of AGES

Endometriosis and persistent pelvic pain are complex conditions that affect each person differently. Both RANZCOG’s guideline and the Inquiry’s Report demonstrate that we must work collaboratively across multiple disciplines – including gynaecology, pain medicine, physiotherapy, psychology, and allied health – to ensure every person receives coordinated and holistic care tailored to their specific needs.

Research supports the value of an interdisciplinary approach to care for chronic disabling pain – but the reality is that many women struggle to even access a specialist, let alone allied health providers who provide that holistic care. To meaningfully improve access, we need to continue building workforce capability so that clinicians across disciplines feel confident and well-supported in applying contemporary pain science. Strengthening interdisciplinary practice is not only about improving care pathways – it is about ensuring women can receive truly holistic, coordinated, and person-centred care.

– Bernadette Smith, President of the Australian Pain Society

Dr Dilip Kapur, Dean of The Faculty of Pain Medicine (ANZCA) emphasises that persistent pelvic pain should be recognised as a persistent pain condition in its own right. As outlined in the FPM’s statement on the clinical approach to persistent pelvic pain including endometriosis-associated pain, best practice care requires timely access to whole-person, multidisciplinary management –incorporating medical, physiotherapy, psychological and pain science-informed interventions. Prioritising early, equitable access to these evidence-based approaches will improve outcomes and reduce harm.

This group acknowledges that many women across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand – particularly those in rural and remote areas – have limited access to holistic care. Recommendation 5.6 of the Report sets out that the Victoria Government must “expand access to allied health particularly physiotherapy, in public hospitals, including as part of Women’s Health Clinics, pain clinics and maternity services.” This is crucial if we are to follow the principles of the APS and NZPS and adopt a biopsychosocial model of care that addresses the physical, emotional, and social aspects of living with chronic pain.

Pelvic pain is multifactorial and often persists after surgery, requiring a whole person approach. We must recognise and respond to the needs of women living with pain and adopt a broader view in the approach and treatment of pelvic pain, and women’s pain generally. The Victorian Women’s Pain Inquiry report offers a solid foundation for addressing this challenge at the policy level.

– Dr Karen Joseph, President of the NZPS

°”ÍűTV, AGES, FPM, APS and NZPS welcome the release of the report and look forward to collaborating with both the Victorian Government and the other jurisdictions across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand more broadly to deliver better health outcomes for women and girls living with pelvic pain.

Media enquiries

Bec McPhee
Head of Advocacy & Communications
bmcphee@ranzcog.edu.au
+61 413 258 166

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG, the College) has partnered with Birth Trauma Australia (BTA) to launch the Birth Trauma Education Project. The project is a response to the recommendations from the NSW Parliament’s Select Committee’s on Birth Trauma Inquiry, and ongoing collaboration with the Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

The inquiries made it undeniably clear that, despite efforts to prevent it, birth trauma remains a persistent challenge faced by birthing people and those involved in providing maternity care. RANZCOG and BTA seek to make a meaningful difference to address the core causes of birth trauma through the creation of much-needed multidisciplinary training resources with a focus on trauma-informed care.

Funded by the Commonwealth Government, RANZCOG and BTA have developed the Birth Trauma Education Project, combining online learning modules with in-person multidisciplinary workshops. The pilot training program is being delivered virtually via webinar on 1, 4, and 5 December 2025.

Onsite training will also be delivered in Wonthaggi Hospital Bass Coast Health (Vic), King Edward Memorial Hospital (WA), and Wagga Wagga Base Hospital (NSW) in November and December 2025.

The virtual program is available and free to attend for all healthcare professionals in Australia who are involved in maternity care. Members of RANZCOG’s CPD Home who complete the training will be eligible to claim CPD hours. Learn more about the Project, and register for one of the upcoming webinars here.

Discussions are also underway in Aotearoa New Zealand to build on this project – the College is working collaboratively with Birth Trauma Aotearoa, the New Zealand College of Midwives, and other key stakeholders to research experiences of birth trauma in Aotearoa which will inform the development of an education program specific to Aotearoa New Zealand. RANZCOG continues to advocate for prevention of birth trauma through education, assessment, and access to physiotherapy treatment, especially during pregnancy.

Contact us
For more information, contact the Birth Trauma Education Project team.
Email: elearningsupport@ranzcog.edu.au

Media enquiries

Bec McPhee
Head of Advocacy & Communications
bmcphee@ranzcog.edu.au
+61 413 258 166

The Trump administration has issued highly controversial claims regarding the causes of autism and ADHD, asserting that paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) use during pregnancy increases the risk of children being diagnosed as neurodivergent.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG, the College) joins leading clinicians and scientists worldwide in vehemently rejecting these claims. Robust scientific evidence shows no link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism or ADHD, with several large and reliable studies directly contradicting the administration’s statement.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are considered in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as disorders of neurodevelopment. Many people who meet the diagnostic criteria for these conditions consider that they are not disorders of neurodevelopment but, rather, different neurotypes as distinct from the most common or typical neurotype. RANZCOG acknowledges that people with these neurotypes face additional challenges in accessing standard models of health care and supports a neuro-affirming approach to providing care to all neurodivergent people.

The causes of neurodivergence are incompletely understood but are known to be complex and to include both genetic and environmental contributors.

Previous research raised concerns that exposure to paracetamol during pregnancy may increase the chance of the offspring being diagnosed with ASD or ADHD during childhood. The earlier studies showed an association between paracetamol exposure and these diagnoses but were importantly limited by a methodological inability to differentiate between the effect of paracetamol as a causative exposure as opposed to a statistical association.

The most recent and robust study to evaluate this association was published in 2024 by Ahlqvist et al.¹ This study of 2.5 million Swedish children found that, when controlling for important factors including parental neurodivergent diagnoses and sibling relationships, there was no association between paracetamol exposure and offspring neurodivergence.

The use of medications during pregnancy should always balance the potential benefits against any potential harms, both of the medication and of the condition being treated, to the mother and the fetus. The Ahlqvist study provides conclusive evidence that paracetamol use during pregnancy does not increase the chance of neurodivergence in the offspring and therefore should be considered safe to use in pregnancy where there is a clear reason to do so.

Aspirin has a specific role in pregnancy for the reduction of complications including preeclampsia and in such cases has been clearly shown to be safe and effective. Women who have been advised to use low-dose aspirin in pregnancy by the health care provider should continue to do so. People who are uncertain about medication use in pregnancy should discuss this with their doctor or midwife.

Folinic acid (also known as leucovorin) has shown some potential to improve some of the communication difficulties experienced by children with ASD. These studies are small and are therefore unable to show conclusively that folinic acid therapy is safe and effective. RANZCOG supports further research being conducted to provide further evidence to guide such treatment.

°”ÍűTV continues to advise that people should be offered vaccination according to the standard schedules recommended in Australia and Aoteaora New Zealand for pregnant women and for children.

Authored by Associate Professor Scott White, Chair, RANZCOG Women’s Health Committee.

1. Ahlqvist VH et al. Acetaminophen use during pregnancy and children’s risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability. JAMA 2024;331(14):1205-1214.

Media enquiries

Bec McPhee
Head of Advocacy & Communications
bmcphee@ranzcog.edu.au
+61 413 258 166

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG; The College) strongly opposes the private member’s bill introduced by Sarah Game MLC in the South Australian Legislative Council, which seeks to further restrict access to abortion services after 22 weeks and six days of pregnancy.

Abortion is healthcare

°”ÍűTV’s position is unequivocal: abortion is healthcare. The decision to terminate a pregnancy is deeply personal and complex, requiring careful consideration of individual circumstances. These decisions must remain between a woman and her healthcare provider, not be dictated by political intervention. Medical professionals, not parliamentarians, are best equipped to assess the unique factors that inform these each individual decisions about abortion.

The reality of later abortions

Ms Game’s bill is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the reality of pregnancy terminations after 22 weeks and 6 days. These procedures are extraordinarily rare, representing a tiny fraction of all abortions performed (48, or 1.0% of all abortions performed in South Australia in 2024¹). When they do occur, they almost always invariably involve circumstances of severe fetal abnormalities incompatible with life, or serious threats to the pregnant woman’s health and life.

Of these 48 abortions performed in South Australia in 2024, 34 were to protect the physical or mental health of the pregnant person, 15 due to fetal anomaly, and one to save the life of a pregnant person or another fetus.¹ The College is deeply concerned that Ms Game’s bill is premised either on an ignorance of this reality, or a wilful misrepresentation of the facts as they exist in data.

One of the many troubling aspects of how this bill has been presented is that the mental health of the pregnant person will no longer be considered relevant rationale for a decision to terminate.Ìę

– Dr Nisha Khot, RANZCOG President-Elect

“This is enormously problematic. Mental health is health, and it is no less important to the overall well-being and ability to safely carry a pregnancy to term, than is physical health. The College categorically rejects this assumption and reiterates its unreserved support for accessible sexual and reproductive healthcare services that meet the needs of our patients and their families,” said Dr Khot.

Women and their families facing these tragic circumstances are already experiencing profound distress. They do not make these decisions lightly, and the suggestion that additional legislative restrictions are needed demonstrates a concerning lack of understanding of the medical realities involved.

Under current South Australian law, terminations after 22 weeks and 6 days already require approval from two medical practitioners who must agree that the procedure is appropriate given the clinical circumstances.Ìę

Previous parliamentary rejection

The South Australian Parliament has recently considered and rejected similar restrictive legislation. In October 2024, the Legislative Council voted down Ben Hood MLC’s bill by a margin of 10 votes to nine, following extensive debate. That bill sought to amend abortion laws to require live delivery rather than termination for pregnancies after 28 weeks.

Ms Game’s current bill represents another attempt to curtail medical expertise and evidence-based practice, despite the parliamentary rejection of similar measures less than a year ago.

The College’s South Australia and Northern Territory Committee Chair Dr Heather Waterfall reiterates that her comments made in response to last year’s bill are just as relevant to this bill as well. “Abortion is an essential healthcare service, with the decision to proceed with termination best left to women and their doctors. This has always been true. It was true in 2024, and it remains true now,” said Dr Waterfall.

This bill is simply another attempt to roll back abortion protections and the freedom of women in South Australia to have autonomy over their own bodies and their health care decisions.

– Dr Heather Waterfall, RANZCOG South Australia/Northern Territory Committee Chair

Conclusion

°”ÍűTV calls on the South Australian Parliament to reject this ill-conceived legislation. The current regulatory framework already provides appropriate safeguards while preserving the fundamental principle that healthcare decisions should remain between patients and their doctors.

The College urges parliamentarians to trust medical professionals to provide appropriate care within existing ethical and legal frameworks, rather than impose additional barriers that serve no medical purpose and may cause significant harm to vulnerable women and families.

Abortion access is a fundamental component of comprehensive reproductive healthcare. Any attempt to further restrict this access represents a backwards step that prioritises ideology over evidence, politics over patient welfare, and rhetoric over medical reality.

1. Government of South Australia: Preventative Health SA. Accessed 18 September 2025.

Media enquiries

Bec McPhee
Head of Advocacy & Communications
bmcphee@ranzcog.edu.au
+61 413 258 166

Background

Syphilis is caused by the spirochaete bacterium Treponema pallidum (subspecies pallidum). It is typically transmitted through direct contact with infectious lesions or mucous membranes during anal, oral, or vaginal sexual contact, and can also be passed from mother to child at any stage of pregnancy.¹

During pregnancy, syphilis is associated with a high risk of adverse outcomes, including stillbirth, preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age infants, and vertical transmission leading to congenital syphilis. Congenital syphilis can present with serious features such as pneumonia, profuse nasal discharge, enlargement of the liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly), swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), elevated bilirubin levels (hyperbilirubinemia), cholestasis, meningitis, and seizures. Congenital syphilis can cause severe long-term sequelae for infants affected.^2,3

Surveillance and impact in Australia

Syphilis is a notifiable condition in Australia, subject to rigorous national surveillance and monitoring. The Chief Medical Officer declared syphilis a  on 7 August 2025, initiating a coordinated national response focused on expanded testing, community awareness, simplified treatment pathways, health equity, and workforce strengthening – especially in Indigenous and underserved communities.^4,5

As syphilis frequently presents without symptoms, a low threshold for testing is essential. Diagnosis relies on serological testing, though interpretation can be complex and may require specialist input. Early detection and treatment are critical to preventing congenital syphilis and reducing transmission across the population.¹

Congenital syphilis

In 2024, there were 5,960 notifications of infectious syphilis (acquired within the previous two years), including 1,025 cases among women aged 15–44. Between 2013 and 2022, notification rates in women increased nearly six-fold. Since 2019, cases of congenital syphilis have risen. In 2023, there were 20 reported cases in Australia, including 10 infant deaths. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to experience disproportionately high rates, more than five times those of non-Indigenous Australians – reflecting entrenched health inequities.^4,5

Untreated maternal syphilis carries significant risks for pregnancy outcomes. The likelihood of fetal infection increases as pregnancy progresses, rising from 26% if treatment is provided by 24 weeks to 60% if delayed until the third trimester. Adverse outcomes include stillbirth (21%), preterm birth (6%), and congenital syphilis presenting as clinical disease in the neonate (16%). Neurological sequelae may also occur, though only the most severe are typically apparent at birth.^2,3

Updated recommendations

The Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) emphasise that the management of syphilis requires coordinated action between Public Health Units and treating clinicians.

The following best-practice recommendations detail the prevention and management of syphilis during pregnancy:

• Universal first screening – Offer and recommend syphilis testing to all pregnant women at their first antenatal contact, regardless of assessed risk.
• Universal repeat screening – Repeat screening should be offered at 26–28 weeks and again at either 36 weeks or at birth (whichever comes first), regardless of risk.
• Catch-up screening – If earlier opportunities for testing are missed, offer screening at the next available occasion.
• Specialist input – For women who test positive, seek urgent advice from a sexual health or infectious diseases expert. Arrange prompt review and referral where appropriate, and ensure planning for neonatal assessment at birth.
• High-risk women – For those assessed as at increased risk, recommend testing at five points: the first antenatal visit, 26–28 weeks, 36 weeks, at birth, and again six weeks postpartum.
• Early treatment in high-risk women – For individuals assessed at increased risk of syphilis, consider offering treatment promptly based on screening results – without waiting for confirmatory testing – if there is a risk they may not return for follow-up.
• Confirmed infectious syphilis – Women with confirmed infectious syphilis should receive 2.4 million units of benzathine penicillin intramuscularly (in 2 divided doses) as soon as possible. Where possible, treatment should be administered at least 30 days before the expected date of birth. Repeat serology is recommended to confirm efficacy of treatment.
• Partner and contact management – Ensure partner testing and treatment, and initiate contact tracing. Where needed, seek support from a sexual health service or specialist in contact tracing.

Clinical implications

Maternity care providers play a critical role in preventing congenital syphilis. Consistent, repeated testing regardless of risk and timely treatment are essential, along with effective contact tracing, specialist referral, and neonatal assessment.

Professor Kirsten Black
Chair, RANZCOG Sexual and Reproductive Health Committee

Dr Stephanie Bond
Member, RANZCOG Sexual and Reproductive Health Committee

Further information

• Australian Centre for Disease Control.
• Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
• Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA).
• Living Evidence for Australian Pregnancy and Postnatal Care.
• Queensland Health.
• Melbourne Sexual Health Centre.

References

1. Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA). National Guidelines for Public Health Units on Syphilis. Canberra: Australian Government; 2023.
2. Living Evidence for Australian Pregnancy and Postnatal Care. Australian Pregnancy Care Guidelines. [MagicApp]; 2023. Available from: .
3. Queensland Health. Queensland Clinical Guidelines: Syphilis in Pregnancy. Brisbane: Queensland Health; 2023.
4. Australian Centre for Disease Control. National Syphilis Surveillance and Response Plan 2023–2030. Canberra: Australian Government; 2023.
5. Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Chief Medical Officer’s Statement: Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance – Syphilis. Canberra: Australian Government; 2025.

Media enquiries

Bec McPhee
Head of Advocacy & Communications
bmcphee@ranzcog.edu.au
+61 413 258 166

Today the released its monitoring and reporting framework and baseline report.

The Strategy is designed to improve the health of women and girls and reduce inequities between different population groups. The strategy aims to do so by focusing on a range of specific actions across five key priority areas:

• Maternal, sexual and reproductive health
• Healthy aging
• Chronic health conditions and preventative health
• Mental health
• Health impacts of violence against women

The monitoring and reporting framework allows the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to determine how progress is being made across the five priority areas and sub-actions. The framework proposes to do this in two ways: (1) through an implementation monitoring effort, which will assess the implementation of strategy actions through stakeholder consultation and evidence assessment, and (2) through outcome reporting, which will map progress on each of the measures of success against publicly available data sources.

On the implementation side, the monitoring framework will gauge whether progress in a certain priority area requires stronger focus, is making some progress, or whether there is evidence of meaningful progress.

On the outcome side, the framework will regularly assess each outcome indicator against available data source(s) and data timeliness, while also reviewing whether progress for priority groups is being made.

The framework will build off the baseline report, also published today, allowing a benchmark to assess implementation and outcomes over the remaining years of the strategy to 2030.

°”ÍűTV is identified as a key stakeholder in the implementation phase, alongside a number of other medical colleges. The College will also be kept apprised of progress on the strategy through regular reporting on the framework through its membership in the National Women’s Health Advisory Council.

The baseline report provides a sobering insight into the progress of the Strategy to date (up to mid-2024). Acting as a benchmark for the remainder of the strategy period, the baseline report shows that most actions in the five priority areas are underway. Ten actions are judged to have shown some progress. While three action areas are judged to be showing meaningful progress (reducing the prevalence and impact of endometriosis and associated chronic pelvic pain; adopting a multi-faceted approach to support women and girls with eating disorders; building research capacity and capability in women’s health), there is still a long way to go to meet the intended outcomes of the strategy by 2030. The benefit of the baseline report and the monitoring framework is that it allows progress to be more discretely tracked and allow for resources to be allocated to areas that require additional progress.

The College welcomes the release of the framework and report, and it looks forward to collaborating with other stakeholders included in the strategy to deliver better health outcomes for women and girls by 2030.

Media enquiries

Bec McPhee
Head of Advocacy & Communications
bmcphee@ranzcog.edu.au
+61 413 258 166

Measles is a highly contagious virus, with around 90% of susceptible individuals exposed to the virus becoming infected. Due to this transmissibility, high levels of community immunity are required to prevent outbreaks. Children under five years, unvaccinated individuals, the immunocompromised, and pregnant women* are at increased risk of severe complications of measles, including pneumonia, encephalitis, and death.

Prevention of measles

Vaccination with the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine is highly effective in preventing infection and severe disease and is the best strategy for protecting vulnerable individuals. MMR is a live attenuated vaccine which is contraindicated in pregnancy and in children under 12 months of age. Vaccination may be appropriate from 6 months of age, upon public health advice, in the setting of an outbreak.

Clinical features

Measles is an acute respiratory illness presenting initially with fever, malaise, cough, conjunctivitis, and Koplik spots on the buccal mucosa. A characteristic maculopapular rash appears after these earlier symptoms, spreading from the head to the body and then the limbs.

Symptoms may be atypical in unvaccinated pregnant women, with fever and abnormal liver function tests sometimes being the only clinical findings. Severe complications of measles are relatively common, including hospitalisation (20%), pneumonia (5%), encephalitis (1 in 1,000), death (1-3 in 1,000), and long-term subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (around 1 in 10,000).

Measles in pregnancy

Pregnant women are at increased risk of severe maternal illness and of pregnancy complications including miscarriage, stillbirth, and preterm birth. There is no specific treatment for measles, and supportive care should be provided. Measles is a notifiable disease and health department notification should be completed for new cases.

People with measles should isolate for four days after the rash appears. The decision for a mother to isolate from her unvaccinated infant should be considered on an individual basis. Breastfeeding is not thought to increase the risk of transmission beyond the close contact exposure that breastfeeding requires.

Healthcare workers caring for known measles cases should wear appropriate respiratory personal protective equipment including an N95 mask.

Vaccination

Children and non-immune adults should follow local guidance for measles vaccination. Healthcare workers are at particular risk of infection and should consider a two-dose vaccination course if they do not have documented immunity.

People in outbreak settings should follow local advice. Women planning pregnancy should have their vaccination history reviewed and be offered vaccination as required.

Management of measles exposure

Pregnant and non-pregnant people without confirmed immunity should be offered post-exposure prophylaxis.

• Non-pregnant people without additional risk factors for severe infection should receive MMR vaccination within three days of exposure, repeated at four weeks.
• Pregnant women should not receive MMR vaccination but should receive normal human immunoglobulin (0.2mg/kg up to 15mL) within six days of exposure.
• Postpartum women should receive MMR vaccination within three days of exposure.

Associate Professor Scott White
Chair, RANZCOG Women’s Health Committee

Resources

• °”ÍűTV: Pre-Pregnancy and Pregnancy-Related Vaccinations (C-Obs 44)
• °”ÍűTV: Pre-Pregnancy Counselling (C-Obs 3a)
• Australian Immunisation Handbook:
• Health New Zealand/Te Whatu Ora:
• RCOG:

Media enquiries

Bec McPhee
Head of Advocacy & Communications
bmcphee@ranzcog.edu.au
+61 413 258 166