Li Dan, Chen Xinyuan, Dong Yue, Zou Liwei
Department of Scientific Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People's Republic of China.
Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People's Republic of China.
J Pharm Policy Pract. 2025 Aug 27;18(1):2547377. doi: 10.1080/20523211.2025.2547377. eCollection 2025.
The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) plays a pivotal role in supporting basic medical research and shaping national funding priorities. As clinical and scientific demands in obstetrics and gynecology grow, particularly in areas closely tied to pharmacological interventions and maternal-fetal health, understanding funding patterns is essential for guiding research strategy and health policy. This study aimed to evaluate NSFC funding trends in obstetrics and gynecology from 2011 to 2020 and examine their alignment with research output and policy-relevant themes.
Data from 2011 to 2020 were collected from official public sources. Descriptive analyses were conducted to assess funding trends by volume, project type, institutional and regional distribution, and research focus. SCI-indexed publication data were retrieved to evaluate the consistency between funding levels and high-impact scientific productivity.
NSFC funding in obstetrics and gynecology increased steadily over the decade, with a notable rise in support for early-career researchers through the Young Scientists Fund. Funding was geographically concentrated in eastern China, particularly in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, with limited representation from central and western regions. Priority research themes included gestational diseases, reproductive health, and prenatal diagnostics. The average overlap between top-funded institutions and those with high SCI publication output was 61%, indicating only partial alignment between funding distribution and scientific productivity.
While NSFC funding has played a critical role in advancing obstetrics and gynecology research in China, structural challenges persist. These include limited investment in high-tier and translational projects, regional disparities, and a mismatch between funding and publication output. The evolving focus of the NSFC on innovation and long-term impact over traditional publication metrics underscores the need for strategic reforms. Enhancing interdisciplinary integration, promoting equitable resource allocation, and adopting outcome-based evaluation frameworks are essential to better support pharmacological research and policy-driven improvements in maternal and reproductive health.
中国国家自然科学基金（NSFC）在支持基础医学研究和确定国家资助重点方面发挥着关键作用。随着妇产科学临床和科研需求的增长，特别是在与药物干预和母婴健康密切相关的领域，了解资助模式对于指导研究策略和卫生政策至关重要。本研究旨在评估2011年至2020年NSFC在妇产科学领域的资助趋势，并考察其与研究产出及政策相关主题的契合度。
从官方公开来源收集2011年至2020年的数据。进行描述性分析以评估资助数量、项目类型、机构和地区分布以及研究重点方面的资助趋势。检索科学引文索引（SCI）收录的出版物数据，以评估资助水平与高影响力科研生产力之间的一致性。
在这十年间，NSFC对妇产科学的资助稳步增加，通过青年科学基金对早期职业研究人员的支持显著增加。资助在地理上集中于中国东部，尤其是北京、上海和广州，中西部地区的代表性有限。优先研究主题包括妊娠疾病、生殖健康和产前诊断。获得最高资助的机构与SCI高发文量机构之间的平均重叠率为61%，表明资助分布与科研生产力之间仅部分契合。
虽然NSFC资助在中国妇产科学研究的推进中发挥了关键作用，但结构性挑战依然存在。这些挑战包括对高层次和转化项目的投资有限、地区差异以及资助与出版物产出之间的不匹配。NSFC对创新和长期影响而非传统出版物指标的日益关注凸显了战略改革的必要性。加强跨学科整合、促进公平资源分配以及采用基于成果的评估框架对于更好地支持药物研究以及政策驱动的母婴和生殖健康改善至关重要。
