Bio-Psycho-Social Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. K.M. Paarlberg is Obstetrician-gynecologist in Gelre Hospitals, location Apeldoorn, the Netherlands. She is the Principal Tutor of Ob/Gyn residents and residents in training for tropical medicine and international health. Her PhD Thesis in 1999 was titled 'Stress exposure and pregnancy outcome: A psychosocial and biochemical study'. Her main focuses are: perinatal medicine, psychosomatic aspects of Ob/Gyn and sexology. She has been President of the International Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISPOG) and President of the Dutch Working Party on Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology (WPOG) of the Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her research projects concern implementation of a screen- and advice tool for psychiatric and psychosocial risk factors and substance abuse in pregnant women, depression in pregnancy, PTSD following childbirth, fear of childbirth, genital appearance satisfaction and request for labia reduction surgery. For her work in the psychosocial field she has received the Hector Treub Award in 2009.

Prof. dr. H.B.M. van de Wiel wrote his Ph.D thesis (cum laude) in 1991 on 'Sexual functioning after gynecological cancer treatment'. From 1998 until now he has a full professorship in medical psychology in the University Medical Centre in Groningen (the Netherlands). His current specializations are Communication & Collaboration, Clinical leadership, Medical Education and E-learning. He has received many awards for his work on patient education and counseling, especially on patient empowerment. He is registered as a psychotherapist and for twelve years he was editor in chief of the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology.