One year on...
Human Reproduction
E-mail: vansteirteghema{at}humanreproduction.co.uk
It has been more than a year since I became Editor-in-Chief of Human Reproduction and it has been a good year for the journal. The high number of submissions has continued and from these, good-quality articles have been published. In the Thomson Scientific Journal Citation Reports (JCR) for 2006, the Impact Factor (IF) of Human Reproduction was 3.769, slightly higher than in 2005. Human Reproduction ranked second in the category ‘Reproductive Biology’ and third in the category ‘Obstetrics & Gynecology’. In both categories, our sister review journal Human Reproductive Update ranked first. A further analysis of Human Reproduction in the JCR indicates that the number of self-citations is 
20%, a figure similar to that reported for most well-established journals.
The quality of a journal depends on the quality of the published articles, which in turn reflects of course the quality of the authors' work in the clinic and the laboratory. Submitted manuscripts are carefully reviewed for their originality, quality and priority of publication by a team of Associate Editors and carefully selected expert reviewers. This expert opinion provides me with very useful information to make a final decision on the submitted manuscript. If the appropriate decision is still not clear, I am able to seek further advice from the Journal's Deputy Editors, Piergiorgio Crosignani (appointed January 2006) and Hans Evers (appointed January 2008) as well as from the Panel of former Associate Editors. It is therefore very appropriate to thank all these colleagues for their hard work. In the near future, the names of the Associate Editors and Reviewers will be present in the online version of Human Reproduction. The Deputy Editors also assist me in leading the Journal and making the necessary decisions to ensure that all issues of Human Reproduction are attractive to read and contain high-quality contributions, continually improving the science and medicine in the field of reproductive medicine and biology. Daily contact with the Editorial Office in Childerley, Cambridge via e-mail, telephone or Skype as well as 2 day visits every fortnight has been an immense support for the Journal. It has been very rewarding to work closely with Andy Williams, the journal's Managing Editor, and Helen Beard, Managing Editor of ESHRE Journals, and I also appreciate the skilful secretarial assistance of Margaret Gill and Jenny Lewin, also based in the Editorial Office.
In the current year, it will be our aim to continue on the same track and, with all of you, make the Journal even better. A number of new initiatives will be introduced and I will give you regular updates on these, as and when they occur. At the next ESHRE Annual Meeting in Barcelona, the Editors of the three Journals are organizing a Pre-Congress Course entitled ‘ESHRE Journals interactive course for authors’. This Course will give an opportunity for clinicians and scientists to update their writing skills, not just for journal articles but also for other types of publications, such as grant proposals and reports. All are welcome to attend.
Starting in this issue, we will expand the number of commentaries on original articles, as well as Debates and Opinions. Commentaries for articles we consider of exceptional importance for the practice and science of our field will be sought from the journal's Associate Editors as well as other respected colleagues. Also in this issue, is the ESHRE/ASRM-co sponsored document ‘Consensus on infertility treatment related to polycystic ovary syndrome’, which follows on from the very successful ‘Revised 2003 consensus on diagnostic criteria and long-term health risks related to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)’. The importance of these documents is recognized by their simultaneous publication in this journal and our US counterpart, Fertility & Sterility.
Finally, I would like to invite all of you to convey to me how you perceive Human Reproduction and ways to improve it further in the future.
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