This episode of the Summer Series of Talking O&G: A RANZCOG Podcast features Professor Ranee Thakar presenting on “Addressing Disparities in Pelvic Floor Health and Access to Care” at the RANZCOG Annual Scientific Meeting 2025.

Professor Thakar is a distinguished consultant obstetrician and urogynaecologist at Croydon University Hospital and an honorary senior lecturer at St George’s University of London. Between 2022-2025, she made history as the first woman of colour and third female President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). As President of the International Urogynaecological Association (IUGA) (2019-2020), she played a pivotal role in advancing urogynaecological care worldwide.

A hidden epidemic, pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) affects one in three women worldwide. Having been neglected in global health agendas, the crisis is exacerbated in low and middle-income countries that have limited surgical and physiotherapy capacity. Professor Thakar examines the impacts of a range of barriers to care, including patient-level sociocultural, healthcare system, and economic and logistic barriers. She outlines strategies to improve care such as normalising and destigmatising PFD, improving education, and promoting research and data collection.

Professor Thakar encourages all O&Gs to advocate for improved pelvic floor health in their everyday practice. She highlights that pelvic floor health is not optional – it is a matter of equity, dignity, and human rights.

The Summer Series is being released in video format to accommodate the visual elements of the presentations.

🔗 Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Squeezy App

• Breaking the Taboo with Theo Clarke Podcast

📝 Relevant RANZCOG resources:

• Pelvic Floor Health - RANZCOG

📌 RANZCOG members can listen to this episode and answer self-reflective questions to claim CPD hours towards their AHPRA and MCNZ mandated CAPE requirements as an Addressing Health Inequities activity. Submit CPD at: https://shorturl.at/iq733

💬 If you found this episode valuable, please rate, review, subscribe, and share it with your colleagues.

RANZCOG acknowledges the need for more inclusive terminology for gender diversity.

In this podcast we aim to use inclusive language, and any use of the term “women” should be interpreted to include all people requiring gynaecological and obstetric care.

The views expressed are those of the speakers and may not reflect the official position of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG).

This episode of the Summer Series of Talking O&G: A RANZCOG Podcast features Aotearoa New Zealand-based generalist O&G Dr Anna Hudspith presenting on “Working towards sexual and reproductive health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand” at the RANZCOG Annual Scientific Meeting 2025.

Dr Hudspith practises in a secondary unit in the Hutt Valley, as well as at an abortion clinic in Wellington. She co-chairs the Abortion Providers Group Aotearoa New Zealand (APGANZ) – the only national group specifically providing guidance and education in abortion care – and is an amazing advocate for equitable sexual and reproductive health.

Dr Hudspith’s presentation examines the inequity of sexual reproductive health care across Aotearoa New Zealand through hypothetical case studies. She considers a broad range of factors such as age, location, income, health history, cultural background, and gender identity.

The key issues addressed include HPV vaccinations and screening, the rise of congenital syphilis, care for transgender and gender diverse people, and access to medical and surgical abortion care.

The Summer Series is being released in video format to accommodate the visual elements of the presentations.

🔗 Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Abortion Providers Group Aotearoa New Zealand (APGANZ)

• Warming the Whare for trans people and whānau in perinatal care

• Decide.org.nz

• The RANZCOG Trans and gender diverse inclusive obstetric and perinatal care workshop will return in Aotearoa New Zealand on 7 September 2026 – registration information to come in early 2026.

• New Zealand Aotearoa Abortion Clinical Guideline | Ministry of Health NZ (Disclaimer: This guideline has been included for additional cultural advice. Please see the RANZCOG binational Clinical Guideline for Abortion Care for up-to-date clinical recommendations)

📝 Relevant RANZCOG guidelines:

• Clinical Guideline for Abortion Care

📌 RANZCOG members can submit CPD at: https://shorturl.at/iq733

💬 If you found this episode valuable, please rate, review, subscribe, and share it with your colleagues.

RANZCOG acknowledges the need for more inclusive terminology for gender diversity.

In this podcast we aim to use inclusive language, and any use of the term “women” should be interpreted to include all people requiring gynaecological and obstetric care.

The views expressed are those of the speakers and may not reflect the official position of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG).

This episode of the Summer Series of Talking O&G: A RANZCOG Podcast features Canada-based physician Professor Laura Magee presenting the plenary, “Long-Term Maternal Health After Hypertension in Pregnancy” at the RANZCOG Annual Scientific Meeting 2025. This plenary session was supported by the Norman Beischer Medical Research Foundation.

Professor Magee is a globally recognised expert in obstetric medicine, with a research focus on pregnancy-related hypertension and medical complications in pregnancy. She was the Principal Investigator of the landmark Control of Hypertension in Pregnancy Study (CHIPS) trial, shaping international hypertension guidelines.

In this presentation, Professor Magee examines the link between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and cardio-renal-metabolic disease, with a robust review of evidence-based research. She considers the role of pre-existing risk factors; the importance and challenges of postnatal follow-up; and an overview of care approaches. Areas for potential intervention are discussed, including breastfeeding for maternal health, prevention of postpartum weight retention, and early postpartum blood pressure control.

The Summer Series is being released in video format to accommodate the visual elements of the presentations.

🔗 Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Incidence and Long-Term Outcomes of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy | JACC

• Association Between History of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Coronary Artery Disease Assessed by Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography | JAMA

• Postpartum physiology, psychology and paediatric follow up study (P4 Study)

📝 Relevant RANZCOG guidelines:

• Early pregnancy screening and prevention of preterm preeclampsia and related complications (C-Obs 61)

📌 RANZCOG members can submit CPD at: https://shorturl.at/iq733

💬 If you found this episode valuable, please rate, review, subscribe, and share it with your colleagues.

RANZCOG acknowledges the need for more inclusive terminology for gender diversity. 

In this podcast we aim to use inclusive language, and any use of the term “women” should be interpreted to include all people requiring gynaecological and obstetric care.  

The views expressed are those of the speakers and may not reflect the official position of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG).