The congress gathered obstetricians, neonatologists, midwives, pediatricians, scientists, representatives of related medical professions from several European countries. The representatives of Poland constituted the largest group, followed by Ukraine, Great Britain and Serbia.
During the opening ceremony, the participants were welcomed by Prof. Neena Modi, the President of the EAPM and Prof. Apostolos Athanasiadis, the President-elect of the EAPM, who emphasized:
“The EAPM Congress brings together people involved in improving the care of pregnant women and newborns. I would like to express my gratitude to the Rector of the Medical University of Warsaw for welcoming us here.”
The role and importance of the congress of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, which is organized in Poland this year, was discussed by Prof. Mirosław Wielgoś – the chairman and member of the scientific committee of the entire event and the Rector of WUM in 2016-2020. When welcoming the guests to our university, Rector Rafał Krenke, highlighted the importance of prenatal medicine in the entire healthcare system:
“It is a field that is characterized not only by scientific complexity, but also by a deep human dimension. The work you do has a direct impact on the foundation of our common future: the health and safety of mothers and children.”
Prof. Sebastian Kwiatkowski, the Vice-President of the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, and Prof. Tomasz Szczapa, the President of the Polish Neonatal Society, also addressed a few words to those gathered.
Awards in obstetrics and neonatology
The presentation of the Erich Saling Maternity Prize in the field of obstetrics and neonatology was a highlight of the opening ceremony. Erich Saling is a pioneer of German obstetrics and gynecology, considered by many to be the “father” of perinatal medicine.
The Erich Saling Maternity Prize is awarded by the EAPM every two years. It is awarded to individuals who have distinguished themselves by their professional careers and commitment in the field of prenatal medicine. This year's winners were:
- Prof. Frances Cowan, perinatal neurologist, involved in research into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of perinatal brain injuries, including the use of hypothermia in the treatment of infants who experienced hypoxia during childbirth.
- Prof. Henri Hagberg, a physician and neurobiologist whose work focuses on experimental brain research, perinatal medicine, and obstetrics.
Four days of intensive exchange of the latest knowledge and experience
The congress, scheduled between 16 and 19 September, consists of 7 courses, 5 plenary sessions, 10 thematic sessions, 12 oral sessions, debates, joint sessions of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine and the European Union of Neonatal and Perinatal Societies.
The key topics of the congress included preterm births and early-life interventions, recent research in perinatal immunology and the microbiome, and promoting a personalized approach to perinatal care.
The lecturers and course teachers are recognized specialists from around the world. Representatives of WUM were among them, including: Prof. Przemysław Kosiński from the Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology and Prof. Piotr Laudański from the Chair and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology.
During the congress, scientific work covering four scientific categories (obstetrics, neonatology, fetal medicine, related sciences) was presented by 252 young researchers from around the world.
Honorary patronage of the event was granted by: the Mazovian Voivode, the Mayor of the capital city of Warsaw and the Warsaw Tourism Organization. The whole event took place under the scientific auspices of: the Polish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Polish Society of Midwives, the Polish Neonatal Society and our university.
What is the European Association of Perinatal Medicine (EAPM)
The EAPM aims to bring together groups and people interested in promoting and disseminating research, analyses and knowledge on all aspects of perinatal medicine, contributing to the improvement of teaching standards in this field, proposing guidelines and standardizing audit criteria, evaluation and clinical care criteria in perinatal medicine, supporting cooperation between various disciplines related to perinatal care.
