Publication Ethics
Introduction
The Journal of Midwifery, Maternal and Reproductive Health Studies (J2MR) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. This Publication Ethics Policy is developed in reference to the guidelines issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, editors, and reviewers involved in the publication process. All parties involved—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—are expected to comply with these ethical standards.
Duties of Editors
Publication Decisions
The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding which manuscripts submitted to J2MR are published, guided by editorial board policies and constrained by legal requirements regarding defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.
Fair Play
Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on their intellectual and scientific merit, without regard to the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.
Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, and the publisher, as appropriate.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor's own research without the express written consent of the author. Editors must recuse themselves from decisions on manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest.
Duties of Reviewers
Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Peer review assists the Editor-in-Chief in making editorial decisions and, through editorial communication with the author, may also help the author improve the manuscript.
Promptness
Any invited reviewer who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript, or who cannot complete the review within the requested timeframe, must notify the editor and withdraw from the review process.
Confidentiality
Any manuscript received for review must be treated as confidential. It must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.
Standards of Objectivity
Reviews must be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers must express their views clearly, with supporting arguments.
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest
Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and must not be used for personal advantage. Reviewers must decline to review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the work.
Duties of Authors
Reporting Standards
Authors of original research must present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data must be represented accurately. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.
Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that they have written entirely original works, and if they have used the work and/or words of others, this must be appropriately cited or quoted. Plagiarism in all its forms constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.
Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Authors should not submit manuscripts describing essentially the same research to more than one journal or primary publication concurrently. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously constitutes unethical publishing behavior.
Acknowledgement of Sources
Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.
Authorship of the Manuscript
Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors, and the corresponding author must ensure all appropriate co-authors are included and that all co-authors have approved the final version of the manuscript.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
All authors must disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their study. All sources of financial support for the research should be disclosed.
Ethical Oversight in Human Subjects Research
Given the sensitive nature of research involving pregnant women, postpartum mothers, newborns, and reproductive health participants, authors must confirm that the study was conducted with appropriate institutional/ethics committee approval, that informed consent was obtained from participants (or their legal guardians), and that the privacy and confidentiality of maternal and patient data have been protected in accordance with applicable ethical and legal standards.
Fundamental Errors in Published Works
When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their own published work, it is the author's obligation to promptly notify the journal's editor and cooperate to retract or correct the article.
Plagiarism Screening and Research Misconduct
All manuscripts submitted to J2MR undergo similarity screening using a recognized plagiarism-detection tool as part of the initial editorial evaluation. Manuscripts with an unacceptably high similarity index will be returned to the authors for revision or rejected outright, depending on the severity of the finding.
Where a suspected case of research or publication misconduct is identified—whether related to data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, image manipulation, authorship disputes, or duplicate publication—the editorial team will follow a fair and transparent investigation process, consistent with the flowcharts and guidance published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), before reaching a final decision.
Corrections, Retractions, and Complaints
Corrections and Retractions
J2MR will issue corrections for minor errors that do not affect the overall validity of a published article, and will retract articles when there is clear evidence of unreliable findings, plagiarism, redundant publication, or unethical research conduct, in line with COPE's retraction guidelines.
Complaints and Appeals
Authors, reviewers, or readers who wish to raise a complaint about the journal, its editorial staff, editorial board, or a published article may submit their concern in writing to the Editor-in-Chief through the journal's official contact channel. All complaints will be handled fairly, promptly, and in accordance with the journal's editorial governance procedures.
Integrity and Accountability in Every Publication
Journal of Midwifery, Maternal and Reproductive Health Studies
