Chiara Benedetto

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Biography

MD, PhD, FCNGOF, FEBCOG, FRCOG, FACOG

Over the years, my contributions to the profession have included clinical-related activities, training and continuous professional development, research, advocacy and work towards women’s empowerment related to their own health. 

Clinical-related activities

As from 1997, I have been Head of the Gynaecology and Obstetrics University Division, at the S. Anna Hospital, Torino, the biggest ObGyn Hospital in Italy and one of the largest in Europe. In that role, I have pursued my objectives: patient-centred care, teamwork and empathy within the work environment and continuously introduced innovative technologies and approaches to healthcare. 

I collaborated to the set-up of national guidelines and diagnostic/therapeutic processes in ObGyn. 

At a European level, during my Presidency (2011-2014) of the European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology-EBCOG, I contributed to the drawing-up of the “Standards of Care for Women’s Health in Europe,” to promote and improve the quality of ObGyn care across Europe. 

As Chair (2014-2015) of the Surgical Group of the UEMS, which represents all Surgical Specialties in the field of Medicine, I strengthened my conviction of how a multidisciplinary approach can enhance patient care and bring about a faster progression in all fields of medicine. 

At a global level, as Chair (2018-2021) of the FIGO Refugee Sub-committee of the Human Rights, Refugees and Violence against Women Committee-HRRVW, I prepared a video with interviews of migrants and cultural mediators, on how assistance could be improved, based on their personal experience and, as Vice-Chair (2021-2023) of the Well Woman Health Care Committee-WWHC, I collaborated in the preparation of papers on “Counselling in Menopausal Women: how to address the benefits and risks of MHT. A FIGO position paper” and on “Preconception Care: Making the Difference for Mother and Baby” as well as in the drawing-up of a FIGO checklist on Pre-conception Care and a FIGO Well-woman Chart. 

Training and continuous professional development

At the University of Torino, Italy, as Full Professor of ObGyn since 1997, I have been encharged with training in the Medical School, Chaired the University Department of ObGyn, Presided over the School of Midwifery, Directed the School of Specialization in ObGyn, as well as several Masters. 

I set-up the REC Training Center with simulators and phantoms for ObGyn trainees and specialists, which has become one of the few accredited GESEA Diploma Centers in the world. There, permanent international training and updating courses in gynaecological surgery and intrapartum emergencies are run, as well as “Training the Trainers” courses for ObGyn Educational Supervisors. 

In addition, I have chaired and organised several National Congresses. 

At a European level, during my tenure as President of EBCOG, I begun the EBCOG Simulation Consortium of Hospitals and Institutions, to validate simulators in training programmes and promote the broad implementation of simulation-based training in ObGyn. I also started a Working Group on the EBCOG Fellowship Exam to test the preparation of ObGyn Specialists, according to the Pan European Curriculum. Moreover, I have taken an active part in the EU Project, Achieving Consensus in Training Pan-European Professional Curriculum for Gynaecologists and in the GESEA4EU Project for the Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgical Education and Assessment in Europe. 

I have chaired and organised several International Congresses, including five European Congresses on Obstetrics and Gynaecology for EBCOG. 

At a global level, I was Visiting Professor (2010) at the Cornell University, New York (USA). 

As Chair (2015-2018) of the FIGO Women’s Health and Human Rights-WHHR Committee, I prepared a lecture on “Rights-Based Approach to Women’s Health”, that could be used by FIGO Member National Societies to provide training/tutoring on the topics considered to be priority issues. 

As Chair of the FIGO Refugee Sub-committee of the HRRVW Committee and Vice-Chair of the WWHC Committee, I organized and/or gave lectures in several FIGO Webinars.  

I have been actively involved in several FIGO Congresses not only as a Speaker or Chair, but also as a Member of the Scientific Programme Committees. 

I have been an invited Speaker/Chair at more than 1,000 National and International Congresses. 

Research

Over the years, I have organised/coordinated numerous projects, covering basic, clinical and translational research. I have been Principal Investigator in more than 200 Multicentre Studies and Clinical Trials. I am Author of more than 800 Scientific Publications, 500 in Peer Reviewed Journals; three Textbooks on ObGyn for Italian Medical Students; four Monographs and 110 Book chapters. I have also Co-edited several books on Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

On behalf of the FIGO HRRVW and WWHC Committees I contributed to the preparation of several Scientific Publications and Position Statements. 

Advocacy: it is part of my goal to enhance women’s health, at all levels, through interactions with political, economic, and social institutions. To this aim I have led numerous multidisciplinary groups drawing-up proposals aimed at having a positive impact on women’s health and rights. 

At a European level, during my tenure as President of EBCOG, I launched, the documents “Standards of Care for Women’s Health in Europe” at the EU Parliament and, as Member of the Care4everbody Supervisory European Board, I am involved in initiatives towards obtaining the same quality of healthcare for all genders and sexes. 

At a global level, as Chair of the FIGO WHHR Committee, I prepared a handbook, “Advocating for Girls’ and Women’s Health and Human Rights - How to Contribute to the UN’s Selected Bodies for more Conducive Legislation, Regulations and Policies at Country Level” to be disseminated and used by the FIGO Member National Societies. I also signed the FIGO Declaration, “Stop violence against women”, Rio de Janeiro, October 16th, 2018. 

Work towards women’s empowerment related to their own health

I have always believed in the pivotal importance of empowering women to take an active part in their own health, to speed up the process of improving healthcare. To this aim, I set-up and promoted numerous initiatives at national and international levels, which involved the preparation of written material, educational meetings/lectures, focus groups and social media campaigns. 

At a European level, as member of the Care4everbody Supervisory European Board, I am contributing to their web platform, gathering solutions for patients to improve healthcare quality. 

At a global level, as Chair of the FIGO WHHR Committee and the Refugee Sub-committee of the HRRVW Committee, I organised focus groups with migrants and refugees to better understand their health needs to plan activities aimed at improving their health knowledge and care. Moreover, I compiled and disseminated a Social Media Communication Campaign for the 2017 International Women’s Day with important information on women’s health that all FIGO Member National Societies could use. In 2018, I ran another 9-month Social Media Campaign (WELL! – Woman Empowerment Learning Links Campaign), covering a different women’s health issue each month. 

Honorary memberships in International Societies/Academies and Awards

International Societies: Honorary Fellow of the French National College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2008-), Member ad Eundem of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2013-), Honorary Fellow of EBCOG (2016-), Honorary Fellow of ACOG (2017-). Academies: Regular fellow of the International Academy of Perinatal Medicine (2005-) and the World Academy of Art and Science (2007-). Awards from: the International Academy of Perinatal Medicine (2005), Association of Obstetricians and Gynacologists of Ukraine (2017), Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (2023). 

Current positions

University of Torino, Italy: Full Professor of ObGyn; Director of the REC Traning Center for Gynaecology and Obstetrics; President of the School of Midwifery; Director of several Masters. 

St. Anna University Hospital, Torino, Italy: Head of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 

The Italian Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (SIGO): Member of the Board of Arbitrators; Co-ordinator of international relationships 

The European Board of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (EBCOG): Council Member  

The Care4everyBody Supervisory European Board (C4EB): Member of the Board 

The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO): Council Member; Vice-chair of the WWHC Committee 

The Medicine Tailored to the Woman Foundation: President