Call for abstracts 

Showcase your research to your colleagues. Selected presenters will have a fantastic opportunity to present their work at our conference. Please read the guidelines carefully and submit before the deadline. We encourage you to discuss your roster arrangements with your supervisor/employer as soon as possible to ensure your attendance.


Who can submit an abstract?
This is an opportunity for our RANZCOG Trainees to gain their research points. We also welcome research submissions from our wider community of Fellows, practitioners, researchers, postgraduates and students.


Presentation formats
You can choose whether you would like your abstract to be considered for a preferred format, or if either format (oral or poster) is acceptable.

Oral presentations:
We have 16 oral presentation slots available in the programme. There are 2 slots available on Day 1 (2 April at Te Ara o Tāwhaki Marae), these are held for research that includes a specific cultural safety or equity focus. We then have 14 slots available (7 gynaecology and 7 obstetric) on Days 2 and 3 (3 and 4 April at the Napier War Memorial Centre). The successful abstracts will be decided by a selection panel convened for this ASM.

A Day 1 oral presentation includes 8 minutes of content delivery, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A.
A Day 2 or 3 oral presentation includes 8 minutes of content delivery followed by 15 minutes of Q&A as a panel of Free Communications speakers with the audience at the end of the session. Strict time schedules will apply. Particular attention should be paid to keeping PowerPoint presentations short, concise and relevant. 

A0 poster presentations:
Other abstracts will be considered for poster presentations. A0 print posters will be used at the venue (separate instructions for this will be sent after the closing date). Poster printing is the presenter’s responsibility. You will be offered a poster discussion time in one of the breaks on either 3 or 4 April to be available at your poster and discuss your work with interested delegates and the Organising Committee. Delegates and the Organising Committee will be given an opportunity to vote for the ‘Best Poster’ Prize.


Abstract format

Short biography: All submissions must be accompanied by biographical information about the presenting author (maximum of 80 words). Biographical details will be used by the session chair for introduction purposes and will also be published on the website and conference app.

Abstract: A maximum of 250 words (excluding title, headings, references and biography) will be accepted. Your abstract should be structured to include:

Background:A brief description of the reason for the study including a short summary of prior knowledge on the topic.
Objective:State the primary objective of the paper and the major hypothesis tested or research question posed.
Design:Describe the design of the study and the rationale for the procedures adopted. 
Method:Describe how participants were selected and the number of participants (if existing data used, state how these were selected), materials employed (if appropriate), methods of data collection and analysis.
Results:Include numerical and/or textual data. This should be kept to a minimum and should not include tables or figures. For qualitative analyses briefly describe your findings (e.g. identified themes, categories).
Conclusions:
State the conclusions that can be drawn from the study (including for future research, practice, equity, policy and/or theory).

Specifications

  • Please indicate whether the submission is for oral or poster presentation, or if either format is acceptable.
  • You are required to share information about your ethics approval obtained for this project. If you have a reference number, please supply. If you have not obtained ethics approval, please explain the reason. If this is a case report, please indicate that you have the patient’s consent.
  • Only abstracts reporting research with available results will be considered. Abstracts stating that results will be presented at the conference, without including those results in the submission, will not be accepted.
  • All abstracts must be written in NZ English and thoroughly checked for spelling and grammar before submission. We welcome te reo Māori terms.
  • Each abstract must be prepared in Microsoft Word. No other formats will be accepted.
  • Use single spacing to separate the title, authors' names and affiliations, followed by the text.
  • The title of the abstract should be written in sentence case i.e. initial capital letter, followed by lower case.
  • List author/s and affiliations/s, including professional affiliations separated by commas. We also invite you to list your iwi affiliations.
  • Author/s and affiliation/s to be linked by a superscript number.
  • Please refrain from using printed enhancements such as underlining and bold text. Italics may be used for non-English words or scientific names where appropriate.
  • Please note abstracts may be re-formatted and/or edited for publication in programme and on website and app.

Criteria

  • Your paper must not have been presented to any other scientific body before this ASM.
  • You are the first author of the submitted paper.
  • You are able to present the work in person (either oral or poster) if selected.
  • RANZCOG are committed to meeting our obligations as partners in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. As part of our ASM programme, Day 1 will be fully focused on health equity for Māori through the lens of cultural competence, cultural safety and Hauora Māori. Throughout the whole conference we encourage a continued focus on this and a wider focus on addressing health inequities for all of our communities in Aotearoa. Can we please invite you, as part of your presentation planning, to include any relevant cultural safety or equity considerations. 
  • Consider aligning your presentation with our theme for this Aotearoa ASM ‘He tina ki runga, he tāmore ki raro | Honouring our roots – shaping the future’ which explores how we can honour our clinical and cultural roots whilst working to shape the future of our O&G context in Aotearoa New Zealand. 
  • Abstracts should be submitted by the presenting author with a plan that the author will attend the conference to present the abstract. Where unplanned emergency circumstances prevent this, please notify Laura Collins (Events Lead, Aotearoa - see details below).
  • Only one author per abstract may be nominated as the presenter.
  • Submission of abstracts implies the authors' agreement to publish the abstract in the ASM programme / conference app.
  • Accepted presenters must register for the ASM and pay the appropriate registration fee by the below deadlines. Abstracts will be withdrawn if registration is not paid by this date.

Key Dates

  • August 2026: Abstract submissions open.
  • Friday 20 November, 2026: Deadline for receipt of abstracts and biographical details for both oral and poster presentations.
  • Monday 14 December, 2026: Abstract authors are notified of the outcome.
  • Friday 12 February, 2027: Participating authors must register by this date.


Questions?

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Laura Collins, Events Lead (lcollins@ranzcog.org.nz / tel: +64 4 472 4608). All communications about your abstract submission will be sent to the email address you have provided. 


Ready to submit?

Please download this abstract submission form. Complete and return to lcollins@ranzcog.org.nz. Final date for submission 20 November, 2026.

Harvey Carey Memorial Prize

The Harvey Carey Memorial Prize was established in recognition of the contribution made to the specialty of obstetrics and gynaecology in New Zealand (NZ) by the Foundation Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at National Women’s Hospital, Auckland. 

The prize of NZD $1,000 is awarded for the best original research paper presented orally at the RANZCOG ASM. Candidates must be either current RANZCOG trainees in Aotearoa New Zealand or working in Aotearoa New Zealand within the equivalent of five full-time years of their elevation to Fellowship.

Best Poster Prizes

For this Aotearoa New Zealand ASM, the Organising Committee will award to the best poster presentation. This is accompanied by a NZD $300 prize. Criteria considered are: layout, clear and concise brief of the research overview and good communication by the author in person with the judging panel. Poster presentations will only be eligible for this prize if the poster author is available to interact with the judging panel at the allocated poster presentation time. 

There will also be a People's Choice Prize of NZD $200 voted for by ASM attendees.