The Editors of Obstetrics & Gynecology are pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Roy M. Pitkin Award and the 2020 Harold A. Kaminetzky Prize Paper.
The Roy M. Pitkin Award was established in 1998 to honor departments of obstetrics and gynecology that promote and demonstrate excellence in research. The award consists of a $5,000 unrestricted grant presented to each department that published an outstanding article in Obstetrics & Gynecology during the past year. We recognize both the authors and the departments for the quality of the research and publication of the results. Each editor independently selected articles from all those published in 2020 as finalists in this year's competition. This is a difficult task and one we take very seriously. A panel of former Editorial Board members then reviewed and ranked those articles based on scientific merit, methodology, presentation of results, soundness of conclusions, writing style, and importance to the specialty. This year's departmental winners are listed below with their winning articles.
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah Health (Robert Silver, MD, Chair)
- Einerson BD, Nelson RE, Sandoval G, Esplin MS, Branch DW, Metz TD, Silver RM, Grobman WA, Reddy UM, Varner M. Cost of elective labor induction compared with expectant management in nulliparous women. Obstet Gynecol 2020;136:19–25. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000003930
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health, Montefiore Medical Center & Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Sharmila K. Makhija, MD, MBA, Chair)
- Khoury R, Bernstein PS, Debolt C, Stone J, Sutton DM, Simpson LL, Limaye MA, Roman AS, Fazzari M, Penfield CA, Ferrara L, Lambert C, Nathan L, Wright R, Bianco A, Wagner B, Goffman D, Gyamfi-Bannerman C, Schweizer WE, Avila K, Khaksari B, Proehl M, Heitor F, Monro J, Keefe DL, D'Alton ME, Brodman M, Makhija SK, Dolan SM. Characteristics and outcomes of 241 births to women with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection at five New York City medical centers. Obstet Gynecol 2020;136:273–82. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004025
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health & Science University (Aaron B. Caughey, MD, MPH, PhD, Chair)
- Edelman AB, Kaneshiro B, Simmons KB, Hauschildt JL, Bond K, Boniface ER, Jensen JT. Treatment of unfavorable bleeding patterns in contraceptive implant users: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol 2020;136:323–32. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000003896
- Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Women's Health, Hartford Hospital (Adam F. Borgida, MD, Chief)
- Propst K, Mellen C, O'Sullivan DM, Tulikangas PK. Timing of office-based pessary care: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol 2020;135:100–105. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000003580
The Harold A. Kaminetzky Prize Paper was established in 2008 to recognize the best article from a non-U.S. researcher each year. Dr. Harold A. Kaminetzky, former President of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, had a long career as editor of major medical journals. His last editorship was as Editor of the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Dr. Kaminetzky also had a long interest in international activities. Articles published in 2020 were selected by the editors, and a panel of former Editorial Board members chose the winner. The recipient of the award will receive $2,000. This year's winner is:
- Bergman I, Westergren Söderberg M, Ek M. Perineorrhaphy compared with pelvic floor muscle therapy in women with late consequences of a poorly healed second-degree perineal tear: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol 2020;135:341–51. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000003653. From the Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, and the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden.
On behalf of the selection committee, the Editors, and the Editorial Board, we congratulate each recipient of the 2020 Roy M. Pitkin Award and the 2020 Harold A. Kaminetzky Prize Paper. We are proud to play a role in encouraging quality research and scientific writing that ultimately will improve the health care of women. We are also grateful to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which generously funded these grants.
Roy M. Pitkin Award/Kaminetzky Prize Paper Panel 2020
Patrick Duff, MD, Chair
Jodi S. Dashe, MD
Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, MD, MSCE
Denise J. Jamieson, MD, MPH
James L. Whiteside, MD, MA
