ACOG Scientific Integrity Deficiency in Recommendation for the Practice of Cosmetic-Plastic Gynecology Misleads Other Gynecological Societies, Inhibits Clinical Education and Research, and Jeopardizes Women's Health.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze scientific integrity (scientific quality, objectivity, credibility, and appropriate transparency) of recommendations of gynecologic societies for female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) and their references, which were used to support these recommendations. STUDY
DESIGN: The scientific integrity of recommendations for FGCS published by gynecologic societies has never been subjected to scientific scrutiny. Electronic and manual searches for FGCS literature published in the English language were conducted and analyzed for the period of the recommendations. A methodological scientific review of recommendations of gynecologic societies for FGCS was performed. The scientific quality, objectivity, credibility, and appropriate transparency within recommendations of gynecologic societies for FGCS were evaluated.
RESULTS: Overt prejudice and residual bias were found in the recommendations of gynecologic societies relating to FGCS. Scientific imprecise interpretations and omissions of references called current recommendations into questions.
CONCLUSION: Recommendations issued by gynecologic societies relating to FGCS did not meet the scientific integrity norms for scientific quality, objectivity, credibility, and appropriate transparency.