Over the last 25 years, the Brazilian Journal of Mother and Child Health (RBSMI) has established itself as a plural, ethical and rigorous space for the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge in health, in line with internationally recognized principles of editorial integrity and best practices in scientific communication.^1-3 This journey has been marked by scientific and institutional challenges that required adaptability, editorial responsibility, and fidelity to the foundations that guide sound science.

The recent recognition of RBSMI in the Qualis–CAPES system (2021–2024 quadrennium), with an A4 rating across all health fields, represents a collective milestone in this process.⁴ Far more than a formal indicator, it represents the validation of a work sustained by consistent editorial criteria, the strengthening of peer-review workflows, ethical commitment, and an appreciation of thematic and methodological diversity, pivotal elements in the quality assessment of national scientific journals.^4-5

In the context of institutional strengthening, the financial support granted by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) to RBSMI is also noteworthy, as it fully matched the amount requested. Public funding for scientific publishing is a strategic tool for the continuous advancement of national journals, contributing to editorial sustainability, process improvement, and broader scientific visibility.⁶

Results such as these are not built individually or in isolation. They are the result of the ongoing effort of authors, reviewers, associate, executive and assistant editors, the technical staff, and partner institutions, who, over time, have contributed to the quality, consistency, and credibility of the journal, in accordance with international editorial governance guidelines.^1-3

Concluding an editorial cycle also means recognizing that science is built on continuity. The advancements achieved demand, more than they celebrate, the responsibility to preserve the principles that made them possible: editorial independence, methodological rigor, transparency in all processes, and commitment to maternal and child health as a scientifically and socially relevant field.^1-3,5

The next steps of RBSMI will remain anchored to these values, further strengthening its role both within the national and international scientific landscape.

References

1. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Core practices. COPE; 2023. [access in 2026 Jan 20]. Available from: https://publicationethics.org

2. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. Updated 2024. [access in 2026 Jan 20]. Available from: https://www.icmje.org

3. Gasparyan AY, Yessirkepov M, Voronov AA, Gerasimov AN, Kostyukova EI, Kitas GD. Preserving the integrity of citations and references by all stakeholders of science communication. J Korean Med Sci. 2015; 30 (11): 1545–52.

4. Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). Qualis Periódicos: Classificação de Periódicos do Quadriênio 2021–2024. Brasília: CAPES; 2024. [acesso em 2026 Jan 20]. Disponível em: https://www.gov.br/capes

5. SciELO Brasil. Critérios, políticas e procedimentos para a indexação e permanência de periódicos científicos. São Paulo: SciELO; 2023. [access in 2026 Jan 20]. Available from: https://www.scielo.br

6. Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). Apoio à editoração de periódicos científicos.Brasília (DF): CNPq. [access in 2026 Jan 20]. Available from: https://www.gov.br/cnpq
 

---

Received on January 22, 2026
Approved on January 23, 2026

---

At the invitation of the Editor-in-Chief: Melania Amorim