CONTENTS

1. Scope and applicability
2. Definitions
3. Journal position on preprints
4. Accepted preprint servers
5. Preprint declaration at submission
6. Licensing and copyright during the preprint phase
7. Peer review and preprint confidentiality
8. Preprint versioning and updates during peer review
9. Post-publication linkage and update obligations
10. Dual submission and distinction from prior publication
11. Clinical and sensitive research - specific provisions
12. Citing preprints in manuscripts submitted to EGO
13. Reviewer access to preprints
14. Integrity, misconduct and post-publication issues
15. Media communications and public dissemination
16. Normative references

 

1. SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY

This Preprint Policy defines the position of European Gynecology and Obstetrics (EGO) on the deposit, dissemination and management of preprints in connection with manuscripts submitted to and published in the Journal.

This Policy applies to all authors who have deposited or intend to deposit a manuscript on a preprint server before, during or after submission to the Journal, and to all manuscript types accepted by the Journal as defined in the Editorial Policy Statement.

This Policy is to be read in conjunction with the following documents from the Journal's editorial policy framework: the Editorial Policy Statement (Section 12); the Peer Review Policy (Section 2); the Copyright and Licensing Policy (Section 7); the Open Access Policy (Sections 4 and 14); the Artificial Intelligence Policy; the Corrections and Retractions Policy. In the event of any conflict between this Policy and another document in the editorial policy framework, this Policy prevails on all matters specifically governed herein.

2. DEFINITIONS

For this Policy, the following definitions apply.

Preprint. A complete manuscript that has been made publicly available on a preprint server before formal peer review and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. A preprint is not a peer-reviewed publication and must be clearly identified as such.

Preprint server. A publicly accessible online platform that hosts scholarly manuscripts before peer-reviewed journal publication, clearly labels them as not peer-reviewed, assigns or supports persistent identifiers, maintains durable public records, applies basic screening, and provides mechanisms for versioning, withdrawal notices, and linkage to subsequent peer-reviewed publications.

Submitted Manuscript (SM). The version of the article as submitted to the Journal before peer review.

Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM). The version of the article that has been accepted for publication by the Journal, incorporating all peer-reviewed revisions, but which has not yet undergone copyediting, typesetting or proofing by the Publisher.

Version of Record (VoR). The final, published version of the article as it appears on the Journal's platform following copyediting, typesetting, proofing and online publication.

Interim peer review version. Any version of a manuscript produced during the peer review process that incorporates revisions made in response to editorial or reviewer feedback, before formal acceptance by the Journal.

Prior publication. The publication of a manuscript, or of substantial portions thereof, in a peer-reviewed journal before submission to EGO. Preprint deposit does not constitute prior publication for this Policy or the Editorial Policy Statement.

3. JOURNAL POSITION ON PREPRINTS

The Journal recognizes preprints as a legitimate mechanism for the rapid and transparent dissemination of research findings, the establishment of scientific priority, and the stimulation of early community feedback. The Journal endorses the principles set out in the COPE Discussion Document on Best Practices for Preprints and the ICMJE Recommendations on overlapping publications (Section III.D.3).

The deposit of a manuscript on a recognized preprint server does not constitute prior publication for the Journal's originality requirements (Editorial Policy Statement, Section 12). It does not prevent submission to or publication in the Journal, provided that the conditions set out in this Policy are met.

Authors are encouraged, but not required, to deposit their manuscripts as preprints before or at the time of submission to the Journal. The Journal does not mandate preprint deposit as a condition of submission or publication.

The Journal acknowledges that preprints in health and clinical sciences carry specific responsibilities. Authors are reminded that preprints have not been peer reviewed and that the dissemination of unverified clinical findings may have implications for patient care and public health. Authors should therefore exercise particular care when communicating preprint findings publicly, in accordance with Section 15 of this Policy.

4. ACCEPTED PREPRINT SERVERS

The Journal accepts submissions of manuscripts previously deposited on any publicly accessible preprint server that meets all of the following criteria:

• (a) the platform is operated on a not-for-profit, institutional, scholarly, or professionally governed basis, or otherwise meets recognized standards of persistence, screening, open licensing, metadata quality and long-term preservation;
• (b) the platform assigns a permanent, resolvable identifier (DOI or equivalent) to each preprint;
• (c) the platform clearly and visibly labels all content as not peer-reviewed at the point of access;
• (d) the platform has a basic screening procedure to exclude offensive, non-scientific or safety-compromising content;
• (e) the platform retains the preprint record permanently and does not permit full deletion of posted manuscripts except in documented cases of ethical violation, safety risk, or legal obligation;
• (f) the platform requires authors to disclose conflicts of interest and sources of funding at the time of deposit;
• (g) the platform provides a mechanism for notifying concerns about the integrity of a deposited preprint;
• (h) the platform supports linkage between the preprint record and any subsequently published peer-reviewed version;
• (i) the platform retains and makes accessible the metadata of withdrawn or removed preprints, including the reason for withdrawal where disclosed.

The following servers are expressly recognized as meeting these criteria and are therefore accepted by the Journal:

• medRxiv (https://www.medrxiv.org/) - operated by openRxiv, covering all health sciences including obstetrics and gynecology; the preferred server for manuscripts submitted to EGO;
• bioRxiv (https://www.biorxiv.org/) - operated by openRxiv, covering biological sciences; acceptable for manuscripts with a predominantly basic science focus;
• Research Square (https://www.researchsquare.com/) - operated by Research Square Company, covering a broad range of biomedical disciplines; accepted based on its established standards of persistence, screening, open licensing, metadata quality and long-term preservation.

Other preprint servers may be accepted at the discretion of the Editorial Office, provided they satisfy all the criteria listed above. Authors who have deposited their manuscript on a server not listed above should contact the Editorial Office before submission to confirm acceptability.

Preprint servers that do not assign permanent identifiers, do not screen content, do not support linkage to published versions, or permit unrestricted deletion of records are not accepted.

5. PREPRINT DECLARATION AT SUBMISSION

5.1  Mandatory declaration. Authors who have deposited a manuscript on a preprint server, whether before or during the peer review process, are required to declare this explicitly at the time of submission to the Journal. The declaration must be provided in the cover letter and, where technically supported, via the designated field in the OJS submission system.

5.2  Content of the declaration. The declaration must include: (a) the name of the preprint server on which the manuscript is deposited; (b) the full DOI or persistent identifier of the preprint; (c) the date of first deposit; (d) the version number of the preprint at the time of submission, where the server supports versioning.

5.3  Manuscripts deposited during peer review. Where an author deposits a manuscript on a preprint server after submission to the Journal but before a final editorial decision has been issued, the author must notify the Editorial Office within 5 working days of the deposit, providing the same information as specified in Section 5.2.

5.4  Failure to declare. Failure to declare the existence of a preprint at submission, or intentional concealment of a preprint deposit, constitutes a breach of submission ethics and will be managed in accordance with the applicable COPE flowcharts and the Corrections and Retractions Policy. Depending on the circumstances, it may result in rejection of the submission, retraction of the published article, or other corrective action.

5.5  Obligation on the Editorial Office. Upon receipt of a preprint declaration, the Editorial Office will acknowledge receipt and, where necessary, retrieve the preprint record for review by the handling editor.

6. LICENSING AND COPYRIGHT DURING THE PREPRINT PHASE

6.1  Copyright retention during preprint deposit. Authors must retain full copyright in their manuscripts at the time of preprint deposit. Authors must not assign, transfer, or exclusively license their copyright to any preprint server or third party as a condition of deposit. This requirement is consistent with Section 3 of the Copyright and Licensing Policy.

6.2  Preprint license. Authors are encouraged to deposit preprints under an open license. A CC BY 4.0 license is recommended, as it is consistent with the Journal's publication license and with the requirements of Plan S and principal research funders. Authors may elect a more restrictive open license (CC BY-NC or CC BY-NC-ND) for the preprint, provided that this does not prevent subsequent publication under CC BY 4.0 in the Journal.

6.3  Preprint license and subsequent journal publication. The licensing of the preprint does not affect the licensing of the Version of Record. Upon publication in the Journal, all content is published under CC BY 4.0 irrespective of the license applied to the preprint, in accordance with the Copyright and Licensing Policy.

6.4  Posting of the Version of Record. Authors should not upload the Version of Record as a new preprint or replace the preprint record with the Version of Record in a manner that would misidentify the published article as a preprint or conflict with the terms of the preprint server. This provision does not restrict any rights granted to authors or third parties under the CC BY 4.0 license; the Version of Record may be freely shared, deposited and redistributed under the terms of CC BY 4.0, provided that it is not misrepresented as an unpublished or non-peer-reviewed preprint.

7. PEER REVIEW AND PREPRINT CONFIDENTIALITY

7.1  Double-blind peer review and preprint disclosure. European Gynecology and Obstetrics (EGO) operates a double-blind peer review model, as described in the Peer Review Policy (Section 2). Authors who have deposited their manuscript as a preprint on a publicly accessible server must be aware that the preprint's public availability may reveal their identities to reviewers, thereby compromising the blinding mechanism. The Journal recognizes this as an unavoidable consequence of preprint deposit and does not regard preprint disclosure per se as a breach of review confidentiality. It is the author's responsibility to assess the implications of posting a preprint for the integrity of the double-blind review process.

7.2  Submission procedure for preprint-linked manuscripts. Because the Journal operates a double-blind peer-review process, preprint information required under Section 5 must be provided exclusively in the cover letter and in the designated OJS metadata field. Authors must not include the preprint DOI, server name, or any other information that would identify them in the anonymized manuscript file, unless specifically requested by the Editorial Office.

7.3  Reviewer obligations regarding preprints. Reviewers who become aware of authors' identities through a preprint posted on a public server must continue to uphold their obligations of impartiality and confidentiality under the Peer Review Policy (Section 4) and the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers. A reviewer who considers that awareness of the preprint creates a conflict of interest must disclose this to the Editorial Office immediately and, where appropriate, decline the review invitation.

7.4  Confidentiality obligations of reviewers regarding preprint content. Reviewers must not use confidential information obtained through the peer review process for personal advantage or to disadvantage the authors. Where a corresponding preprint is publicly available, reviewers must distinguish between information lawfully available to the public and information obtained through the confidential review process. Any scholarly use of the publicly available preprint outside the review process must comply with applicable licensing terms and must not disclose or rely upon confidential reviewer or editorial communications.

7.5  Editorial use of preprints. Editors handling a submission may consult the publicly available preprint as a reference point. Still, they must not share the preprint with third parties or use it in ways that conflict with the confidentiality obligations applicable to the submitted manuscript.

8. PREPRINT VERSIONING AND UPDATES DURING PEER REVIEW

8.1  Updates before acceptance. Authors may update their preprint record with revised versions of the manuscript at any time before formal acceptance by the Journal, provided that: (a) the updated version reflects only author-initiated revisions and does not incorporate editorial or reviewer feedback obtained through the Journal's peer review process; (b) each updated version is clearly labeled with a version number and the date of the update.

8.2  Prohibition on posting interim peer review versions. Authors must not post on any preprint server any version of the manuscript that incorporates revisions made in response to editorial or reviewer feedback received through the Journal's peer review process, before acceptance. Posting interim peer-review versions constitutes a breach of the Journal's review-confidentiality obligations. It will be treated as a submission-integrity issue in accordance with the Corrections and Retractions Policy and applicable COPE flowcharts.

8.3  Post-acceptance deposit of the Author Accepted Manuscript. Following acceptance, authors may deposit the Author Accepted Manuscript in institutional or disciplinary repositories in accordance with the Copyright and Licensing Policy. The preprint record should preferably be updated by linking to the Version of Record rather than by replacing the preprint content with the AAM. Where a preprint server permits versioning after acceptance and an author elects to upload the AAM, any such update must be clearly labeled with the version number and acceptance date, and must not disclose confidential reviewer or editorial communications.

9. POST-PUBLICATION LINKAGE AND UPDATE OBLIGATIONS

9.1  Obligation to link preprint to VoR. Following publication of the Version of Record in the Journal, authors are required to update the preprint record on the relevant preprint server to include: (a) a clear statement that the work has been published in European Gynecology and Obstetrics (EGO); (b) the full DOI of the Version of Record; (c) the bibliographic reference to the published article (journal name, volume, issue, pages, year, DOI).

9.2  Timeline for update. Authors should complete the update of the preprint record within 30 days of online publication of the Version of Record in the Journal.

9.3  Crossref metadata linkage. Where supported by the preprint server and Crossref metadata workflows, the preprint record may be automatically linked to the Version of Record through Crossref relationship metadata. Authors remain responsible for verifying that the linkage has been correctly applied and must supplement it with a manual update where automatic linkage is absent or incomplete.

9.4  Corresponding author's responsibility. It is the responsibility of the corresponding author, as defined in the Authorship Policy, to ensure that all post-publication updates required by this Policy are carried out. The Journal's Editorial Office may remind corresponding authors of this obligation upon publication but is not responsible for ensuring compliance on behalf of authors.

9.5  Update following rejection. Where the Journal rejects the manuscript following peer review, no post-publication update obligation applies. Authors retain full freedom to revise and submit the manuscript elsewhere. Authors are encouraged, at their discretion, to update the preprint record with a revised version if substantive improvements have been made.

10. DUAL SUBMISSION AND DISTINCTION FROM PRIOR PUBLICATION

10.1  Preprint deposit is not prior publication. The deposit of a manuscript on a recognized preprint server in accordance with this Policy does not constitute prior publication for the Journal's originality requirements (Editorial Policy Statement, Section 12). It does not disqualify a manuscript from consideration. The Journal explicitly affirms that the deposit of a preprint and simultaneous or prior publication in a peer-reviewed journal are distinct acts.

10.2  Prohibition on dual submission. The simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to European Gynecology and Obstetrics (EGO) and to another peer-reviewed journal is prohibited, irrespective of whether the manuscript has been deposited as a preprint. Dual submission constitutes a serious breach of submission ethics and will be managed in accordance with the applicable COPE flowcharts, as stated in the Editorial Policy Statement, Section 12.

10.3  Previously published peer-reviewed manuscripts. A manuscript that has been published in full in a peer-reviewed journal before submission to European Gynecology and Obstetrics (EGO) will not be considered for publication, regardless of whether it was also posted as a preprint. Preliminary reports, conference abstracts and poster presentations do not constitute prior publication.

10.4  Translations and secondary publication. Before journal publication, third-party translations or republications of a preprint require authorization from the relevant rights holder(s), depending on the license applied to the preprint at the time of deposit. After publication of the Version of Record under CC BY 4.0, translations and adaptations of the published article are permitted under the terms of CC BY 4.0, provided that attribution is given, a link to the license is included, and any changes are indicated. Formal secondary publication of the published article in another journal remains subject to the ICMJE recommendations on acceptable secondary publication, which require the approval of the editors of both the original and secondary journals, a declared priority of the original publication, an indication of the secondary or translated nature of the article, and appropriate citation of the primary publication.

11. CLINICAL AND SENSITIVE RESEARCH - SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

11.1  Clinical trials and trial registration. In accordance with the Journal's Research Ethics Policy and ICMJE requirements, manuscripts reporting clinical trial results must correspond to a prospectively registered trial. Authors who post a clinical trial manuscript as a preprint are reminded that: (a) preprint posting does not satisfy the trial registration requirement; (b) the preprint must include the trial registration number and registry in the same manner required at journal submission; (c) results of unregistered clinical trials will not be considered for publication in the Journal even if previously posted as a preprint.

11.2  Patient data and privacy. Preprints reporting data involving human subjects must comply with the same requirements of patient privacy, informed consent and data protection that apply at journal submission, in accordance with the Research Ethics Policy and applicable data protection legislation (EU Regulation 2016/679, GDPR). Authors must ensure that preprint versions do not disclose personal data, identifiable patient information or protected health information beyond what is permissible under the relevant ethics committee approvals.

11.3  Sensitive or potentially harmful findings. For research whose premature dissemination may pose a risk to public health or patient safety (including reports of drug interactions, device failures, adverse events in obstetric and gynecological procedures, or emerging infectious disease data), authors are encouraged to consult the Editorial Office before posting a preprint, and to consider the guidance of relevant professional societies on the responsible communication of clinical findings.

11.4  Vulnerable populations. Where a manuscript includes data on vulnerable populations (pregnant women, minors, patients with reduced decision-making capacity), authors should apply the precautionary principle when assessing whether to post a preprint before peer review, given the risk of clinical misuse of unverified findings.

11.5  Consent covering preprint dissemination. Where identifiable clinical information, images or case details are included in a manuscript, authors must ensure that any consent obtained from research participants covers not only journal publication but also public dissemination as a preprint, including the possibility of redistribution, indexing, media visibility and long-term online availability. This requirement is of particular importance in gynecology and obstetrics, where clinical images, case reports involving pregnancy, reproductive data and information relating to minors may carry a heightened level of sensitivity.

12. CITING PREPRINTS IN MANUSCRIPTS SUBMITTED TO EGO

12.1  Permissibility of preprint citations. Authors may cite preprints in the reference lists of manuscripts submitted to the Journal, where no peer-reviewed version of the cited work is available at the time of submission.

12.2  Citation format. Preprint citations must: (a) clearly identify the reference as a preprint, by including the label "[Preprint]" after the title; (b) include the name of the preprint server; (c) include the DOI or persistent URL of the preprint; (d) include the date of access or the date of posting. The recommended format follows National Library of Medicine (NLM) citation style and is consistent with the ICMJE requirement that preprints be clearly identified as such in scholarly citations:

Author(s). Title [Preprint]. Server Name; Year [posted: date; cited: date]. Available from: https://doi.org/xxxxx

12.3  Updatability. Where a preprint cited in a submitted manuscript is published in a peer-reviewed journal before the manuscript is accepted by European Gynecology and Obstetrics (EGO), authors are required to update the reference list to cite the published Version of Record.

12.4  Editors and reviewers. Editors and reviewers may cite preprints in editorial letters and review reports following the format specified in Section 12.2. They should not treat the availability of a preprint as equivalent to peer-reviewed evidence unless the preprint has been independently verified.

13. REVIEWER ACCESS TO PREPRINTS

13.1  Disclosure to reviewers. The Editorial Office will not routinely disclose to reviewers the existence or DOI of a preprint associated with a submitted manuscript. Where a reviewer independently identifies a preprint corresponding to the manuscript under review, the procedures set out in Section 7.3 apply.

13.2  Reviewer-initiated discovery. A reviewer who independently discovers a publicly available preprint corresponding to a manuscript they have been assigned to review must inform the Editorial Office immediately. The Editorial Office will assess whether the discovery creates a conflict of interest or compromises the double-blind process, and will take appropriate action in accordance with Peer Review Policy (Section 7).

13.3  Editorial use of preprints. Editors may use the preprint record to assess version history, priority of disclosure, or consistency between the preprint and the submitted version. Where a material discrepancy is identified between the preprint and the submitted manuscript that raises concerns about data integrity, the Editor-in-Chief will initiate a preliminary assessment in accordance with the Corrections and Retractions Policy (Section 5).

14. INTEGRITY, MISCONDUCT AND POST-PUBLICATION ISSUES

14.1  Differences between preprint and submitted manuscript. Differences between a preprint and the submitted manuscript do not in themselves constitute misconduct and may reflect normal scientific development between initial deposit and formal submission. However, material changes to datasets, methods, statistical analyses, results or conclusions must be disclosed and, where appropriate, explained in the cover letter. Undisclosed material changes that raise concerns about data integrity may trigger editorial assessment in accordance with the Corrections and Retractions Policy (Section 5).

14.2  Post-publication misconduct affecting both preprint and VoR. Where an investigation pursuant to the Corrections and Retractions Policy results in a correction, expression of concern or retraction of the Version of Record, the Journal will request that the corresponding author update or annotate the preprint record accordingly. Where the corresponding author fails to do so within 30 working days of the publication of the corrective act, the Publisher will contact the preprint server directly to request appropriate annotation of the preprint record.

14.3  Preprint-only misconduct. Where research misconduct is identified in a preprint that has not been submitted to the Journal, the Journal has no direct jurisdiction over the preprint record. Authors who become aware of errors or misconduct in their own preprints are encouraged to contact the relevant preprint server to post a correction or withdrawal notice. The Journal endorses the principle that the integrity of the scientific record extends to preprints and that authors bear a continuing responsibility to ensure the accuracy and integrity of all versions of their work deposited.

14.4  Priority disputes and simultaneous independent research. The existence of a preprint may be used as evidence of priority in cases of independent parallel research. The Journal does not adjudicate priority disputes but will consider priority evidence in cases where independent research results in simultaneous submission of substantially similar manuscripts.

15. MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC DISSEMINATION

15.1  Authors' responsibility. Authors who have posted a manuscript as a preprint are responsible for ensuring that any communications to media outlets, social networks, institutional communications offices, or the general public clearly state that the findings are preliminary, have not been peer reviewed, and may change as a result of the peer review process.

15.2  Recommended language. The Journal recommends that authors include the following or equivalent statement in any press release, social media post, or public communication referencing a preprint: "This research has been posted as a preprint and has not yet been peer reviewed. The findings are preliminary and should not be reported in the media as established scientific fact or used as the basis for clinical practice."

15.3  Institutional communications. Authors are encouraged to alert their institutions' communications offices to the preprint status of the work and to request that institutional press releases adopt language consistent with Section 15.2.

15.4  Post-publication communications. Upon publication of the Version of Record, authors and their institutions should update any prior communications and clearly distinguish between the preprint and the peer-reviewed published version, including the full citation and DOI of the published article.

16. NORMATIVE REFERENCES

The following international standards, guidelines and policy frameworks have been consulted in the drafting of this Policy and are incorporated by reference where relevant:

COPE Discussion Document: Best Practices for Preprints (Committee on Publication Ethics, 2018, revised 2019): https://publicationethics.org/guidance/discussion-document/best-practices-preprints

COPE Position Statement: Handling Material Previously Published on a Preprint Server: https://publicationethics.org/guidance/cope-position/handling-material-previously-published-preprint-server

ICMJE Recommendations, Section III.D.3 - Preprints (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, current version): https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/overlapping-publications.html

DOAJ Transparency Checklist (Directory of Open Access Journals, v3.1, 2024): https://doaj.org/apply/transparency/

ASAPbio Preprint Policy Framework (ASAPbio and Creative Commons, 2025): https://asapbio.org

Plan S Rights Retention Strategy (cOAlition S, 2026-2030 implementation): https://www.coalition-s.org

Budapest Open Access Initiative (2002; 20th Anniversary Recommendations 2022)

NLM Citation Styles for Preprints (National Library of Medicine): https://www.nlm.nih.gov/oet/ed/pmc/preprints/02-300.html

Crossref Posted Content Metadata Schema (Crossref): for DOI linking between preprints and VoR

GDPR - Regulation (EU) 2016/679 - applicable to preprints containing personal data from clinical research

Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical Association, 2024 revision) - for preprints reporting human subjects research

Editorial Policy Statement, Section 12

Peer Review Policy, Section 2

Open Access Policy, Sections 4 and 14

Copyright and Licensing Policy, Section 7

Corrections and Retractions Policy

Research Ethics Policy

Authorship Policy