Privacy Policy

The International Journal of Sexual Health, Fertility and Reproductive Medicine respects the privacy of authors, reviewers, editors, readers, research participants, and website visitors. This Privacy Policy describes how personal information may be collected, used, protected, and handled in connection with the journal's website and publishing activities.

1. Information We May Collect

Depending on how users interact with the journal, information may include:

  • Name and professional affiliation

  • Email address and contact information

  • ORCID iD or other researcher identifiers

  • Manuscript submission and publication information

  • Reviewer and editorial information

  • Account registration and login information

  • Correspondence with the journal

  • Information voluntarily provided through forms or submissions

2. Use of Personal Information

Personal information may be used to:

  • Process and manage manuscript submissions

  • Communicate with authors, reviewers, and editors

  • Coordinate peer review

  • Publish and maintain scholarly articles

  • Manage journal accounts and registrations

  • Respond to inquiries and requests

  • Maintain publication and editorial records

  • Improve website functionality and journal services

  • Meet applicable legal, ethical, and publishing requirements

3. Manuscript and Peer-Review Confidentiality

Information relating to submitted manuscripts and peer review should be handled confidentially.

Reviewer identities and review-related information should not be disclosed except where disclosure is necessary for legitimate editorial, ethical, legal, or publishing purposes.

4. Protection of Personal Information

The journal takes reasonable measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or misuse.

Particular care should be taken with sensitive sexual and reproductive health information. However, no internet-based system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

5. Author and Reviewer Information

Information provided by authors, reviewers, and editors may be used for legitimate journal and publishing activities.

Information necessary for scholarly publication, such as author names, affiliations, ORCID iDs, and publication details, may appear with published articles where applicable.

6. Cookies and Website Technologies

The journal website may use cookies or similar technologies to support website functionality, user sessions, security, and website performance.

Users may be able to control certain cookie settings through their web browser.

7. Third-Party Services

The journal may use third-party services where necessary for functions such as:

  • DOI and scholarly metadata registration

  • Researcher identification

  • Website hosting

  • Manuscript submission

  • Analytics or technical services

  • Publication and indexing-related services

Such services may process information according to their own applicable privacy policies.

8. Data Retention

Personal information and publication records may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary for legitimate editorial, publishing, administrative, legal, and scholarly-record purposes.

Sensitive research information should be retained and handled in accordance with applicable ethical and legal requirements.

9. Disclosure of Information

Personal information will not be disclosed unnecessarily. Information may be disclosed when reasonably required for:

  • Editorial and publishing operations

  • Legal or regulatory requirements

  • Research-integrity investigations

  • Protection of the journal, users, or scholarly record

  • Services necessary to operate the journal

Where research involves sensitive sexual or reproductive health information, the journal will seek to maintain appropriate privacy and confidentiality protections.

10. Children's Privacy

The journal's services are intended primarily for researchers, academics, authors, reviewers, editors, healthcare professionals, and other users involved in scholarly communication. The journal does not knowingly seek unnecessary personal information from children.

Where research submitted to the journal involves minors, authors are expected to comply with applicable ethical requirements, informed-consent or assent procedures, privacy protections, and institutional approvals.