The Department undertakes research in various fields of the specialty depending on the varied interests of its academic staff who direct dedicated research areas.

Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

Remit – to direct and promote research into polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, hormonal contraception, menopausal and geriatric gynaecology, and infertility

• Osteoporosis risk and its pharmacological management
• Effects of menopause on collagen, osteoporosis and bone metabolism
• Inter-relationship between endometriosis and dietary intolerance
• The use of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system in managing menorrhagia
  
  

Urogynaecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery

Remit – to direct and promote research into the management options of urological problems in the gynaecological patients

• Audit of surgery techniques for stress incontinence
• Use of the ICIQ-SF questionnaire form in local clinical practice
• Use of tibial nerve stimulation using acupuncture for the management of the overactive bladder
  
  

Gynaecological Oncology

Remit – to direct and promote research into aspects of oncological disease affecting the gynaecological patient

• Metabolic and genetic factors influencing the development of in endometrial carcinoma in Maltese women
  
  

Maternal-Foetal Medicine

Remit – to direct and promote research into diabetes mellitus and the metabolic syndrome inclusive obesity, thyroid disease in pregnancy, hypertensive disease in pregnancy, other medical and obstetric disorders influencing pregnancy, and foetal surveillance

• Investigating biochemical markers in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and its relation to PE syndrome
• Changes in adipose tissue distribution during pregnancy in overweight and obese women compared to normal weight women
• Parental anthropomorphic and biochemical characteristics on foetal birth weight
• An ongoing project is to assess the causes of recurrent miscarriage in the Maltese population
• The influence of immunology and inflammation in the aetiology of miscarriage
• Thermographic imaging of the pregnant uterus
• Developing a Maltese-base of ultrasonic foetal growth parameters
  
  

Intrapartum Management

Remit – to direct and promote research into aspects of intrapartum and postpartum management and complications

• Prevalence of caesarean section in labour with suspected dystocia as an indication among primiparous, singleton pregnancies - a register based retrospective cohort study in Malta
  
  

Medical Ethics & Law

Remit – to direct and promote research into ethical, moral and legal issues pertaining to the specialty of obstetrics and gynaecology

• Medico-legal issues relating to obstetrics in the Maltese context
• Ethical issues in respect to post-coital emergency contraception
• Ethical issues relating to artificial reproduction
  
  

Reproductive Epidemiology & Sociology

Remit – to direct and promote research into aspects of epidemiology and sociology as this relates to the obstetric and gynaecological patient

• Obstetric issues affecting pregnant migrant women
  
  

Medical History

Remit – to direct and promote research in various aspects of medical history, particularly those areas that relate to the speciality

• Cataloguing of the obstetric and gynaecological instruments available in the University of Malta Medical School Museum and within other collections
• Studies relating to the hospitaller and military Orders of St John and of St Lazarus
• Studies in aspects of obstetric and gynaecological history especially as this pertains to the Maltese Islands
  
  

Medical Education

Remit – to regular investigate the teaching programme and student assessment tools being used within the Department thus compiling tools for the further development of the curriculum

• Audit of assessment tools used within the Department in the fourth and final years of the course of M.D. studies
• Audit of student views on the teaching programme within the Department
• Developing teaching aids for undergraduate students