Journal profile · Obstetrics & Gynecology
International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia
ISSN 0959-289X · eISSN 1532-3374 · Churchill Livingstone · ENGLAND · Quarterly · Founded 1991
International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia: CAS Zone 3 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.9; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,250; median 60 days to acceptance (105 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 398 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia is published by Churchill Livingstone and is in Zone 3 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Anesthesia and Pain Management, Cardiac, Anesthesia and Surgical Outcomes and Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions, together about 40% of its articles. Its main subfields are Surgery. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Official journal of the Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association (OAA) and an Official Journal of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and PerinatologyThe International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia is the only journal publishing original articles devoted exclusively to obstetric anesthesia and bringing together all three of its principal components; anesthesia care for operative delivery and the perioperative period, pain relief in labour and care of the critically ill obstetric patient.• Original research (both clinical and laboratory), short reports and case reports will be considered. • The journal also publishes invited review articles and debates on topical and controversial subjects in the area of obstetric anesthesia. • Articles on related topics such as perinatal physiology and pharmacology and all subjects of importance to obstetric anaesthetists/anesthesiologists are also welcome.The journal is peer-reviewed by international experts. Scholarship is stressed to include the focus on discovery, application of knowledge across fields, and informing the medical community. Through the peer-review process, we hope to attest to the quality of scholarships and guide the Journal to extend and transform knowledge in this important and expanding area.Please ensure your references follow AMA reference style. Please view the Guide for Authors for more detail.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Obstetrics & Gynecology
Editor-in-chief Ruth LandauPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 48, United Kingdom 24, Canada 9, France 6, Ireland 6 (124 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Anesthesia and Pain ManagementMedicine20.8%
- Cardiac, Anesthesia and Surgical OutcomesMedicine12.3%
- Maternal and Perinatal Health InterventionsMedicine6.9%
- Maternal and fetal healthcareMedicine6.2%
- Cardiovascular Issues in PregnancyMedicine4.9%
- Nausea and vomiting managementMedicine4.8%
- Spine and Intervertebral Disc PathologyMedicine3.9%
- Airway Management and Intubation TechniquesMedicine3.6%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Anesthesiology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Anesthesiology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Anesthesiology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.9LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.1LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 3.1Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.54LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.89LetPub ·
- h-index
- 47LetPub ·
- h-index
- 79OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,291OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 0.78OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 43.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 13.68%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 118LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 5,078 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 405 | 39 | 57 |
| 2025 | 398 | 36 | 342 |
| 2024 | 285 | 25 | 454 |
| 2023 | 291 | 24 | 399 |
| 2022 | 291 | 41 | 465 |
| 2021 | 264 | 47 | 1,002 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
60 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 43 days – 95 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 4 days (105 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 65 days
- Sample
- 105 articles with submission and acceptance dates (401 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 1 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 20 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 62 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 5 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,250 / EUR 3,040 / GBP 2,600 / JPY 403,100 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare10 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 3,000 words
- Reference style
- AMA
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
- Not considered
- health-related interventional studies not pre-registered
Article types accepted21, with length limits
- brief reportIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…Length not stated
- brief reportsBrief Reports will also be considered with the aim, outcome, and findings presented succinctly.Length not stated
- case reportIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…main text ≤ 1,000 words
- case reportsCase Reports (and Correspondence)Length not stated
- clinical guidelines/consensus statementsClinical Guidelines/Consensus StatementsLength not stated
- correspondenceIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…Length not stated
- editorialIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…main text ≤ 1,500 words
- editorialsEditorialsLength not stated
- letterIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…Length not stated
- letters to the editorIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…Length not stated
- meta-analysisIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…Length not stated
- original researchOriginal Research Articles include randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational prospective and retrospective studies, case-controlled studies, large case…Length not stated
- original research articleIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…Length not stated
- research articleIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…Length not stated
- reviewIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…main text ≤ 5,000 words
- review articleIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…Length not stated
- review articlesReview ArticlesLength not stated
- surveyIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…Length not stated
- surveysSurveysLength not stated
- systematic reviewIJOA considers the following article types: Original Research Articles (including Brief Reports), Case Reports (and Correspondence), Review Articles, “This is h…Length not stated
- this is how we do it“This is how we do it”Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship
By adhering to the authorship requirements stated above, authors meet the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria [updated version January 2024] on authorship.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Patient permission required for case reports Model summary
The Journal will not accept Case Reports without permission of the patient to publish the report.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines
Pre-registration required for health-related interventional studies Model summary
The Journal will not accept health-related interventional studies that have not been pre-registered on an approved trial registration site prior to enrolment
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Churchill Livingstone
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Quarterly
- Founded
- 1991
- ISSN
- 0959-289X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1532-3374
- Society / sponsor
- Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia
What CAS zone is International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia is in Zone 3 of Medicine, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Anesthesiology / Obstetrics & Gynecology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.9; CiteScore 3.1, h-index 79.
How long does peer review take at International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia?
Based on the dates recorded on 105 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 60 days (interquartile range 43–95 days); authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 3,000 words; Reference style: AMA; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia based?
Of the 124 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (48), United Kingdom (24) and Canada (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia open access, and what is the APC?
International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,250.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .