Global Obstetric Update 2026

The curtain is rising on GOU 2026... make sure you're in the room where it happens! Over 90% of in-person tickets now sold!

Park Hyatt Melbourne, 1 Parliament Square, Melbourne , VIC 3002

Event Date

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Summary

We are so thrilled to unveil our program for the Global Obstetrics Update (GOU) 2026! This year we return to the Park Hyatt, Melbourne from Thursday 19th to Saturday 21st of November. 

This year, we have curated a program awash with new topics we have hardly covered at GOU before. We think our program dazzles – befitting our 2026 theme: GOU goes to Broadway 🎭. We hope you can join us!  

Make sure to mark your calendars. Tickets are now on sale - Over 90% of in-person tickets now sold! 

There are only a limited number of face-to-face tickets and GOU usually sells out many months ahead. 

We run GOU with a different vibe to most other meetings. Light-hearted, never stuffy and filled with crazy delicious food. Plus, just a few, practice changing, cutting-edge talks from international legends of obstetrics.  

Don't miss out on GOU 2026. Below, we've shone the spotlight on all the details you need, and want, to know including our amazing program and brilliant speakers. 

GOU2026 is a RANZCOG approved activity for 19 CPD points!

Register

Speakers

As in previous years, our speaker list is incredible. For the first time in GOU history (possibly for any obstetric conference in history), we feature three Professorial Catherines/Cathys, from three different countries. International faculty (so far) 

  • Professor Cathy Cluver (Stellenbosch Uni, South Africa) 
  • Professor Catherine Williamson (Imperial College London, UK) 
  • Dr Andrea Edlow (Harvard Medical School, USA) 
  • Professor Catherine Spong (UT Southwestern Medical Centre, Texas, USA) 
  • Professor Christoph Lees (Imperial College London, UK) 
  • Professor Margherita Turco (Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Switzerland)
  • Prof Wolfgang Henrich (Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany)


We will be announcing yet more international Professors soon!

Plus, top Aussie Academics, including: 

  • Professor Nadia Badawi AM (University of Sydney) 
  • Professor Kirsten Palmer (Monash University) 
  • Dr Sarah Price (The University of Melbourne) 
  • Professor Brett Manley (Mercy Perinatal) 
  • Professor Rod Hunt (Monash University)
  • Professor Ben Mol (Monash University)
  • Associate Professor Roxanne Hastie (Mercy Perinatal)
  • Associate Professor Anthea Lindquist (Mercy Perinatal) 
  • Professor Lisa Hui (Mercy Perinatal) 
  • Associate Professor Alison Fung (Mercy Perinatal) 
  • Professor Stephen Tong (Mercy Perinatal)
  • Professor Sue Walker AO (Mercy Perinatal) 


GOU 2026 Program

Check out this program – many topics new to GOU. 

Day 1 - Thursday 19th of November

07:30 - 08:30

Registration

08:30 - 08:50

Welcome

08:50 - 09:00

Setting the Scene: Straight into the Trenches
09:00 - 09:30

Evidence behind new Concepts for Caesarean Sections

Cathy Cluver - Stellenbosch University, South Africa 
09:30 - 10:00

Postpartum Complications and What to Do About Them

Alison Fung - Mercy Perinatal 
10:00 - 10:30

Catastrophes in the Birth Suite

Wolfgang Henrich - Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany 
10:30 - 10:45

Questions/Panel Discussion
10:45 - 11:15

Morning Tea

11:15 - 11:25

Setting the Scene: Science Corner

11:25 - 11:55

Growing Little Placentas

Margherita Turco - Friedrich Miescher Institute, Switzerland 
11:55 - 12:25

New Horizons for Treating Preeclampsia

Stephen Tong - Mercy Perinatal 
12:25 - 13:20

Lunch

13:20 - 13:30

Setting the Scene: Cerebral Palsy

13:30 - 14:00

Cerebral Palsy

Nadia Badawi - University of Sydney 
14:00 - 14:30

Obstetrics and Cerebral Palsy

Lisa Hui - Mercy Perinatal
14:30 - 15:00

Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy

Rod Hunt - Monash University 
15:00 - 15:15

Questions/Panel Discussion

15:15 - 15:40

Afternoon Tea

15:40 - 15:50

Setting the Scene

15:50 - 16:30

Managing the Scary: Critical Care and Near-Miss Events

Sue Walker - Mercy Perinatal 

Stephen Warrillow - Austin Health 
16:30 - 17:00

Cholestasis of Pregnancy and Liver Disease

Catherine Williamson - Imperial College London, UK 
17:00 - 17:15

Questions/Panel Discussion

17:15 - 17:45

Special Event

17:45

Welcome Drinks and Free BBQ for All Who Register

Day 2 - Friday 20th November

08:30 - 08:40

Setting the Scene

08:40 - 09:10

Timing of Birth

Cathy Spong - UT Southwestern Medical Centre, USA 
09:10 - 09:40

Timing of Steroids

Kirsten Palmer - Monash University 
09:40 - 10:10

Timing of Birth for FGR: Truffle Trials

Christoph Lees - Imperial College London, UK 
10:10 - 10:25

Questions/Panel Discussion
10:25 - 10:55

Morning Tea

10:55 - 11:05

Setting the Scene: Journal Club on the Run

11:05 - 13:10

The Hottest Papers of 2026

Roxanne Hastie, Anthea Lindquist, Stephen Tong and Sue Walker Team Mercy Perinatal 
13:10 - 14:00

Lunch

02:00 - 14:10

Setting the Scene: Prematurity

14:10 - 14:40

Prematurity: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?

Cathy Spong - UT Southwestern Medical Centre, USA 
14:40 - 15:10

Revisiting Cervical Length and Preterm Birth Risk

Ben Mol - Monash University 
15:10 - 15:30

Prior Obstetric Interventions and Preterm Birth Risk

Kirsten Palmer - Monash University 
15:30 - 15:45

Questions/Panel Discussion
15:45 - 16:10

Afternoon Tea

16:10 - 16:15

Setting the Scene: The Academic Soapbox

16:15 - 16:30

The Love of Aspirin

Cathy Cluver - Stellenbosch University, South Africa 
16:30 - 16:45

Mystery Soapbox

Christoph Lees - Imperial College London, UK 
16:45 - 17:00

Mystery Soapbox

Brett Manley - Mercy Perinatal 
19:00

Conference Dinner : Melbourne Cricket Ground - Ticketed Event

Day 3 - Saturday 21st November

08:00 - 08:30

Morning Activity that is Super Fun!

09:30 - 10:00

Breakfast

10:00 - 10:10

Setting the Scene: Clinical Gems

10:10 - 10:40

Anxiety and Depression in Pregnancy

Cathy Spong - UT Southwestern Medical Centre, USA 
10:40 - 11:00

Adnexal Masses in Pregnancy

Wolfgang Henrich - Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany 
11:00 - 11:20

Neurological Emergencies in Pregnancy

Andrea Edlow - Harvard Medical School, USA 
11:20 - 11:40

Gestational Diabetes: Are We ‘Diagnosing’ Too Much Disease?

Jonathan Morris - University of Sydney 
11:40 - 12:00

Questions/Panel Discussion

12:00 - 12:50

Lunch

12:50 - 13:00

Setting the Scene

13:00 - 13:30

Preconception Care and Inequalities

Catherine Williamson - Imperial College London, UK 
13:30 - 14:00

Making Sense of the Investigations We Offer After Fetal Loss

Andrea Edlow - Harvard Medical School, USA 
14:00 - 14:30

Caring for Pregnant Women with Obesity

Sarah Price - University of Melbourne 
14:30 - 14:45

Questions/Panel Discussion

14:45 - 15:10

Afternoon Tea

15:10 - 15:20

Final Special Session: The Zone of 22-24 Weeks

15:20 - 15:50

22-24 weeks: Views from the OB

Anthea Lindquist - Mercy Perinatal 
15:50 - 16:10

22–24 Weeks: Views from the Neonatologist

Brett Manley - Mercy Perinatal 
16:10 - 16:40

22–24 Weeks: Childhood Outcomes

Nadia Badawi - University of Sydney 
16:40 - 17:10

Extended Questions/Panel Discussion

17:10

Farewell Drinks (Drinks on us... till the tab runs out!)

Tickets

Cost of living is getting a little tough. So once again, for GOU 2026 we have only increase prices a smidgen, just enough to keep up with inflation and minor costs. 

  • In-Person General: $1920 
  • In-Person Trainee: $1300 
  • In-Person Midwife/Student/Allied Health: $960 
  • MCG Conference Dinner: $98


  • Online General: $880 
  • Online Trainee: $725 
  • Online Midwife/Student/Allied Health: $620 


Book now at: https://events.humanitix.com/gou2026

Accommodation

The Park Hyatt Discount Booking Link is: https://www.hyatt.com/events/en-US/group-booking/MELPH/G-GOBL 

Reminder: in 2025 the Park Hyatt sold out of rooms at our discount booking rate. Early bookings are essential. 

Sponsors

Thank you to our incredible GOU 2026 Sponsors: 

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Interested in Sponsoring GOU2026?

Our sponsorship prospectus for GOU2026 is available upon request! If your organisation would like to be part of this incredible event, we would love to hear from you. 

Please note that we sold out of sponsorships spots in 2025 and on have 1 Trade Table remaining. For more information, please reach out to us at mercyperinatal@mercy.com.au.

We look forward to partnering with you! 

Contact Us

Our backstage crew are happy to help however they can. Reach out to us at mercyperinatal@mercy.com.au.

Frequently Asked Questions



Absolutely! Refunds for in-person attendees are available until 30 days prior. You can do this yourself through your Humanitix ticket, or contact us at mercyperinatal@mercy.com.au. Please note that online attendees can receive a refund until 7 days prior to the conference.

There is! All of our GOU tickets (in-person and online) come with access to our 'delayed viewing'. 

Delayed viewing is access to the recorded sessions of GOU (at discretion of our speakers). You receive access in the 2 weeks after GOU via an emailed link. The link is active for 12 months, and allows you to watch, and re-watch, your favourite sessions at your own pace. 

Unfortunately, this is a request for the Park Hyatt directly, our team aren't able to assist with bookings. Here is the link to book.

Certificates will be provided the week after GOU via email.