WELCOME FROM ECPM PRESIDENT

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine and the Turkish Perinatology Society, it is a great pleasure for me to invite you to Istanbul-Turkey for the XXIst European Congress of Perinatal Medicine.

Encouraged with our past experiences in organizing congresses and meetings we have sufficient experience in organizing high level scientific meetings with international contributions. We are convinced that our scientific potential, combined with the professional facilities and infrastructure as well as the well-known Turkish hospitality and organization talents, make the cultural and economical centre in the region one of the best sites in Europe. Istanbul is an ideal location for a memorable congress of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine in the year 2008. As a country, Turkey and as a city, Istanbul bridges two continents. In this sense the European Congress of Perinatal Medicine in Istanbul may serve as an ideal scientific platform to exchange the scientific information and challenge between scientists and clinicians from the different countries.

The congress centre is located in the modern business district of Harbiye has been renovated as Turkey's largest congress centre.

There is a wide range of accommodation in Istanbul, and all the major international hotels are represented, along with a large number of capable and highly professional organizers. Each hotel offers a rich blend of service and sophistication and is well equipped to meet the needs of visitor. Guests are welcomed and cared for in the grand and gracious traditions of hospitality that have made Istanbul famous for centuries. Genuine warmth and generosity are characteristic of the hospitality extended, since Turkish tradition declares that every traveller is a guest of God.

A very large list of topics in perinatal medicine has been prepared for the congress. With keynote lectures and papers from different part of Europe and other countries, we are sure that you are going to have very friendly discussions, exchange ideas and share all your scientific work with others who are interested in perinatal medicine. Authors of some submitted abstracts will be offered the opportunity to present their important scientific work together with invited speakers as free communications in main sessions. These scientific papers will be selected by the Scientific Committee and the first author of the paper will be notified before the congress. There will also be poster viewing sessions and poster discussion sessions in the programme.

Let’s meet for perinatal medicine where the continents meet in a timeless city, Istanbul!

Prof. Cihat Sen, M.D.
The President of the Congress
The President-Elect, European Association of Perinatal Medicine.
www.cihatsen.com