The history of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Ukraine is inseparably connected with Odesa.
It was here, on 26 September 1996, during the 10th Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Ukraine, that the decision was made to establish a new nationwide professional organisation — the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Ukraine.
This decision became an important milestone in the development of medicine in independent Ukraine. The professional society that had previously operated within the Soviet system was to be replaced by an independent Ukrainian public organisation capable of bringing together physicians, scientists, educators and healthcare leaders around the contemporary needs of women, mothers, children and families.
On 9 January 1997, the Association was officially registered by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. The decision adopted by the professional community at the Odesa congress thereby acquired legal status and became the basis for the development of regional branches.
The need for a new professional association
Following the restoration of Ukraine’s independence, the medical community needed to create and develop its own professional institutions.
The healthcare system, medical education and research institutions continued to operate, but professional societies had to reconsider their role in the new national and social environment.
This was especially important for obstetricians and gynaecologists, whose work directly concerns:
- women’s health;
- safe motherhood;
- pregnancy and childbirth;
- newborn health;
- the population’s reproductive potential;
- the country’s demographic future;
- the development of perinatal and reproductive medicine.
The professional community required an organisation capable not only of holding congresses and conferences but also of representing specialists, supporting research, sharing clinical experience and helping to establish common professional standards.
The historic decision in Odesa
The 10th Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Ukraine, held in Odesa on 26 September 1996, became the founding moment of the new Association.
The fact that the decision was made in Odesa carries important symbolic meaning.
By that time, the Odesa school of obstetrics and gynaecology already possessed a long academic, clinical and organisational tradition. It united university departments, maternity hospitals, clinical institutions, researchers and practising physicians.
Representatives of the Odesa medical school played an active part in establishing the new organisation. Among the principal initiators was Professor Oleksandr Oleksiiovych Zelinskyi, a prominent obstetrician-gynaecologist, scientist, educator and long-serving department head.
The Association was therefore created not by a single administrative act but by a professional community prepared to accept responsibility for its own development.
Legal establishment of the national organisation
Following the founding congress, the legal registration process began.
On 9 January 1997, the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Ukraine was registered by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.
According to archival information provided by the Odesa branch, the state registration was recorded under number 818-a.
Registration allowed the Association to operate as an independent public organisation, establish its own structure, create regional branches, organise professional events and represent the obstetric and gynaecological community nationally.
Its central purpose, however, remained cooperation between professionals rather than administration for its own sake.
Establishment of the Odesa branch
The Odesa branch of the Association completed its initial legal registration on 23 September 1998.
According to the branch’s archival records:
- date of initial legal registration — 23 September 1998;
- registration number — 15561200000018656;
- certificate — series A00 No. 267249.
Current registry data also confirm 23 September 1998 as the registration date of the Odesa branch.
Legal registration completed an important organisational stage. The Odesa professional community, which had existed much earlier through scientific schools, university departments, clinical teams and medical societies, received formal representation within the national Association.
Odesa as a centre of Ukrainian obstetrics and gynaecology
Odesa’s role in the Association’s history was not accidental.
Over many decades, the city developed strong traditions in:
- clinical obstetrics;
- operative gynaecology;
- perinatology;
- gynaecological endocrinology;
- reproductive medicine;
- paediatric and adolescent gynaecology;
- gynaecological oncology;
- reconstructive and plastic surgery;
- prevention of maternal and perinatal complications.
Odesa’s university departments and clinical institutions combined student education, postgraduate physician training, research and direct patient care.
This combination enabled the professional community to move beyond theoretical discussion, test new approaches in clinical practice, evaluate outcomes and share experience with physicians throughout the region.
Why physicians need a professional association
A professional association provides a space in which individual physicians, departments and medical institutions can act as a community.
Its importance is reflected in several connected areas.
Exchange of knowledge
Conferences, plenums, schools, seminars and professional discussions allow physicians to learn about new research and the experience of colleagues.
Continuing education
Medical science constantly changes. Diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive approaches require regular updating, and a physician’s education does not end at graduation.
Support for research
The Association connects researchers, clinicians and educators, creating an environment for discussing findings and developing new scientific fields.
Professional communication
The community enables specialists of different generations and institutions to analyse complex issues, discuss clinical cases and develop coordinated approaches.
Representation of professional interests
An organised professional community can represent specialists in dialogue with public authorities, educational organisations and international partners.
From tradition to modern evidence-based medicine
Obstetrics and gynaecology have changed substantially since the Association was founded.
Molecular diagnostics, ultrasound technologies, endoscopic surgery, reproductive medicine, genetic counselling, perinatal screening and personalised treatment have all advanced.
Requirements for professional communication have changed as well. Individual experience alone is no longer sufficient. Physicians must evaluate scientific evidence, follow current clinical guidance and continuously update their knowledge.
The Association’s original principle — connecting science, education and practice — has therefore not lost its relevance. In a rapidly developing medical environment, it has become even more important.
Scientific and publishing legacy
The dissemination of professional knowledge through scientific publication became one of the Association’s areas of work.
The Collection of Scientific Papers of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Ukraine provides a platform for research in obstetrics, gynaecology, perinatology and reproductive medicine.
Publishing is an important part of professional legacy. A conference takes place on a particular date, while a published study remains available to future generations of physicians and researchers.
Through this work, the Association contributes not only to current professional exchange but also to the documented history of Ukrainian obstetric and gynaecological science.
International professional cooperation
Modern medicine cannot develop without international exchange.
Representatives of the Association participate in international professional organisations, including the European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, EBCOG.
This cooperation enables Ukrainian specialists to participate in European discussions concerning education, clinical guidance, quality of care and continuing professional development.
At the same time, the Ukrainian school of obstetrics and gynaecology possesses valuable experience that it can contribute to the international community.
The work of the Odesa branch
The Odesa branch continues the tradition established by previous generations of physicians and scientists.
Its work includes:
- organising scientific and practical conferences;
- providing continuing professional development activities;
- supporting young physicians and researchers;
- disseminating current clinical knowledge;
- preserving the history of the Odesa medical school;
- cooperating with departments, universities and healthcare institutions;
- developing interdisciplinary dialogue;
- representing Odesa specialists nationally and internationally.
Preserving the memory of those who built the professional community is also an important part of its work.
Conferences and readings dedicated to Professor Oleksandr Zelinskyi and other representatives of the Odesa school connect historical memory with the discussion of current scientific problems.
Legacy is more than the past
The Association’s legacy cannot be reduced to registration dates or the names of its founders.
The genuine legacy of a professional organisation lies in what it passes to future generations:
- a culture of professional responsibility;
- respect for scientific evidence;
- willingness to share experience;
- a tradition of mentorship;
- commitment to continuous learning;
- recognition of the value of collegial cooperation;
- respect for the health and dignity of every patient.
Documents record the moment an organisation is created. Its actual history is continued every day by physicians who care for patients, teach students, conduct research, participate in professional events and pass their knowledge to younger colleagues.
Key dates
- 26 September 1996 — the 10th Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Ukraine in Odesa decided to establish the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Ukraine;
- 9 January 1997 — the Association was officially registered by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine;
- 23 September 1998 — the Odesa branch completed its initial legal registration;
- certificate series A00 No. 267249 — the registration certificate cited in the branch’s archival records.
A history that continues
The decision made in Odesa on 26 September 1996 opened a new chapter in the history of Ukrainian professional medicine.
It created the foundation for an organisation that united obstetricians and gynaecologists in independent Ukraine and enabled the development of regional professional communities.
The Odesa branch became both the successor to a long local scientific and clinical tradition and a participant in a nationwide professional movement.
Today, this legacy continues through clinical work, research, education, international cooperation and the daily interaction of physicians.
The Association’s history demonstrates that medicine advances not only through technologies and discoveries. It advances through people who come together, share knowledge, accept responsibility and work for the health of others.