President's Message
April 2011
Dear Members,
Privileged and an honored to become your president my first action will be to thank my predecessor Robert Pijnenborg for preparing me for the succession and making it so easy. Robert has now entered the priesthood called "emeritus professor", but continues to dazzle us with his signal research and writings relating to placental pathology. Next let me congratulate Shaun Brennecke and his team for a well-organized and informative ISSHP’s World Congress in Melbourne. The success of the meeting was evident not only by the attendance and quality of the scientific presentations, but by making many who have never been "down under" (or is it down yonder/) before, a chance to bathe in the best of Aussie hospitality.
Now let me dwell on the accomplishments of the ISSHP and in doing so acknowledge the contributions and dedication of the founding members and past presidents who created our organization the goal of which is to advance knowledge in understanding and managing the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Thirty five years ago, we knew as we know today that the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidities world-wide, its immediate and long term economic burden substantial, and these diseases were most ravishing in underdeveloped countries. However, only sporadic research took place then while investigators from different disciplines rarely communicated. The establishment of ISSHP provided a platform where people with diverse skills could meet and improve their practice approaches, and their ability to do research, and where advocacy could be planned to improve underfunding (still quite "under"), and I believe our organization has been an important force in the logarithmic progress that has occurred in un understanding the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, especially preeclampsia.
During the past 2 decades we have greatly improved our understanding of the pathophysiology of preeclampsia and some of these revelations have lead to investigations regarding prediction and prevention. Certain of the latter studies have been promising, others disappointing. We have also introduced new approaches to the study of preeclampsia including genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Today our research efforts are truly exciting. However, let us pause in our excitement to underscore some failures. While much of what I have summarized above appear to have helped both diagnosis and management within the developed world, their impact in developing nations has been limited if at all. Thus, now, in addition to our continued emphasis on basic and clinical research, I believe the ISSHP must focus more in areas active impacting on women’s health in the world, particularly preeclampsia, for instance, why so many women die, especially in underdeveloped countries. This why the a major focus of the next ISSHP meeting in Geneva will be the global impact of preeclampsia on women’s health, particularly in the developing countries, and the World Health Organization is joining us in the program planning.
In Melbourne, I met with the President Elect, Dr. Tranquilli, and our Secretary Treasurer, Dr. Zeeman, to discuss the future direction and mission of the Society. There was a general agreement that the Society should become more involved in organizing activities other than the biannual world congress. Some of the suggested activities included partnership with Lay support groups like the Preeclampsia Foundation in all countries to increase awareness and education about preeclampsia through social and news media and to sponsor conferences and lectures to be disseminated via the web. We must also develop mechanisms to increase membership in ISSHP especially attracting young physicians in Asia , Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. We need to increase involvement of nurse midwives as well and to develop and/or participate in programs to help train physicians and nurses taking care of pregnant women in the developed countries what is termed "best practices". This should also include training physicians in data collection and analysis of outcome. This is just a start, and one purpose of this message is to stimulate the reader towards further ideas and communicate them back to me.
While the ISSHP should continue its scientific role and mission to advance research in preeclampsia, it also must adapt to a new global climate by demonstrating leadership by giving voice and representation to junior members from the developing countries, and by delivering results that will help women and providers in the developing countries.
Finally, while our next meeting is July 9-13, 2012 in Geneva Switzerland (Professor Mohaupt and his team are already working feverishly, and a website has been set up (www.ISSHP2012.com) let me note several events that will take place prior to the congress. The North American Society
for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (August, 2011) , and The Euro ISSHP ( Rome October 5-7, 2011). Again I thank you for the honor of being your president, and look forward to seeing you in Geneva.
Baha M Sibai