Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica (AOGS): Coming-of-age to embrace open science.

Abstract

This year, as we celebrate a century of successful dissemination of scientific knowledge on issues related to women's health, we are proud to announce the transformation of Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica (AOGS) by transitioning to an open access (OA) publishing model. An international spirit and Scandinavian quality characterize our journal.1 We have a global readership, but want to further expand and diversify our reach. We believe in disseminating trustworthy science by publishing innovative, honest, and ethical research in a sustainable manner. Our goal is to promote innovative research and scientific evidence that supports safe and sound clinical practice in obstetrics and gynecology. We value scientific rigor and ethical compliance in research. AOGS has recently implemented several modifications in our submission system to ensure transparency and improve the research integrity of the articles we publish. Our articles are generally based both on publicly funded research as well as on research based on data collected by clinicians and other health professionals on a daily basis through both individual and collective efforts. This includes randomized clinical trials, cohort studies, registry studies, quality improvement projects and implementation research, and evidence synthesis, among others. Therefore, it is only fair that such data and research findings are available to anyone interested in advancing science and improving patient care. We also believe that public access will enable more public scrutiny leading to better transparency, which may subsequently improve the reliability, integrity, and trustworthiness of published research. Starting in January 2022, AOGS will be completely OA. Our manuscript evaluation criteria, peer review policy, and publication ethics will remain unchanged and will continue to comply with international standards. As there are a number of articles that were submitted under the current hybrid model and are already accepted but not yet published, any manuscripts that are submitted to AOGS after July 30, 2021 will be considered under the new OA model. If accepted, an Article Processing Charge (APC) will be charged to cover the cost of publishing under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY). There are some obvious advantages to an OA publishing model. It is fully compliant with the many academic and research institutions' and funders' mandates on OA publication and Open Science policy worldwide. It is also likely to reduce the time from acceptance to publication, as well as contribute to increased sharing, visibility, scrutiny, and transparency, leading to higher impact based on scientific merit and trustworthiness of findings rather than just the citation metrics. The CC BY license under which all the accepted articles will be published in AOGS permits the use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The authors retain the copyright while allowing wide dissemination and permissive use of their research findings. There are two major worries that have been expressed in recent years regarding OA publishing, which we have considered seriously while making the decision to go OA. First, the mushrooming of predatory OA journals is a major issue faced by the scientific communities around the world.2, 3 AOGS is owned by the Nordic Federation of Societies in Obstetrics and Gynecology (NFOG) and its goal has been supporting its members to promote sound clinical practice and contribute to women's health globally. Profit-making has never been its ambition or priority. AOGS has a 100 years of tradition and a recognized trademark of scientific quality and integrity. We had >1600 articles submitted in 2020 and our impact factor is increasing. Therefore, we have decided to flip our journal to an OA model rather than creating a parallel OA journal, which several other journals, including those in our specialty, have done. Another concern expressed is that the cost associated with OA publishing may create barriers to publication for some authors or may even promote academic colonialism.4 We firmly believe that OA is not about opening up access for some while closing access to others. It is about opening access to all, irrespective of their economic status or geographical location. Automatic APC waivers and discounts will be given to authors from countries on the Waivers and Discounts List (https://authorservices.wiley.com/open-research/open-access/for-authors/waivers-and-discounts.html). It is also worth checking with your own institution to see if they already have special open access deals/arrangements with our publisher: (https://authorservices.wiley.com/author-resources/Journal-Authors/open-access/affiliation-policies-payments/institutional-funder-payments.html). We are fully aware that free access to research articles, electronic books, and other educational resources is most helpful for students, academics, and clinicians in countries with limited resources. NFOG has recently published an electronic textbook of Obstetrics and Gynecology in English that is freely accessible at: https://www.sundhed.dk/sundhedsfaglig/opslag-og-vaerktoejer/laereboeger/. AOGS has a vision of contributing to reducing disparity in knowledge regarding available scientific evidence in women's health and closing the skills gap among healthcare professionals working in high- and low-resource settings. By reducing barriers to access to reliable scientific information and most updated knowledge published in peer-reviewed journals, OA can stimulate innovative approaches in research and education and speed up scientific discovery. A more equitable system of knowledge sharing may protect lay people from pseudoscience. As the Chief Editor, I believe that the future of open access AOGS is bright and VIVID. It will have more Visibility, major scientific and societal Impact, it will create Values that promote equitable and sustainable healthcare, be an Inspiration to young generations of obstetricians and gynecologists as well as other healthcare professionals. Furthermore, it will lead to further Development of our specialty.