AI Policy

The International Journal of Sexual Health, Fertility and Reproductive Medicine recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) tools can support researchers during manuscript preparation. However, the use of AI must be responsible, transparent, and consistent with principles of academic integrity, originality, confidentiality, and research ethics.

1. Responsible Use of AI

Authors may use AI-assisted tools for appropriate purposes such as:

  • Improving grammar and language clarity.

  • Correcting spelling and formatting.

  • Improving readability and organization.

  • Assisting with non-substantive language editing.

Authors remain fully responsible for the content, accuracy, and integrity of their manuscripts.

2. Author Responsibility

AI tools cannot replace the authors' responsibility for:

  • The accuracy of research findings.

  • Scientific and clinical interpretation.

  • Originality of the manuscript.

  • Research methodology.

  • Citations and references.

  • Ethical compliance.

  • Final approval of the submitted manuscript.

Authors should carefully verify all AI-assisted content before submission.

3. Disclosure of AI Use

If AI tools have been used substantially in preparing a manuscript, authors should provide an appropriate disclosure describing the nature and purpose of the AI assistance.

Routine spelling, grammar, or formatting assistance generally does not require extensive disclosure unless requested by the journal.

4. AI-Generated Content

Authors should not present AI-generated text, ideas, data, images, references, or other material as independently produced research when doing so would misrepresent the origin of the work.

AI-generated information must be carefully checked for accuracy, reliability, originality, and appropriate attribution.

5. Fabricated Information and References

Authors are responsible for ensuring that AI-assisted content does not introduce:

  • False or fabricated information.

  • Incorrect scientific or clinical claims.

  • Non-existent references.

  • Inaccurate citations.

  • Misleading research findings.

  • Unsupported conclusions.

Any such content remains the responsibility of the authors.

6. AI and Authorship

AI tools and AI systems cannot be listed as authors. Authorship requires human responsibility for the research and manuscript.

All individuals listed as authors must meet the journal's authorship requirements and accept responsibility for their contributions.

7. Confidentiality

Authors should avoid entering confidential, unpublished, personal, proprietary, or sensitive research information into AI systems that may not provide appropriate confidentiality protections.

This is particularly important for unpublished research data, clinical records, patient information, reproductive health information, genetic information, sexual health data, and other confidential materials.

8. AI Use During Peer Review

Reviewers must maintain manuscript confidentiality. They should not upload unpublished manuscripts or confidential peer-review materials to publicly accessible AI systems or third-party platforms for analysis without appropriate authorization.

9. AI-Generated Images and Data

AI-generated images, figures, datasets, or other research materials must not be used in a way that misrepresents the research or creates false evidence.

Where AI-generated material is permitted and used substantially, its use should be transparently disclosed.

10. Ethical Compliance

The use of AI must not facilitate plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, manipulation of research findings, inappropriate authorship, breach of confidentiality, or any other form of research misconduct.

Authors remain responsible for ensuring that all AI-assisted work complies with the journal's publication ethics, research integrity, patient privacy requirements, and applicable scientific and clinical standards.