To determine female authorship of original articles, editorials and the geographical region of female first authors in selected British Psychiatric journals.

The gender of the first author of original articles and editorials published between January 1997 and December 2008 in British Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Bulletin was determined. Editorials from Advances in Psychiatric Treatment and the geographical region of the female first authors of original articles were also included in the study.

The gender was determined for 99.2% of the 2324 first authors of original articles and 100% of the editorials. The percentage of original articles by female first authors fluctuated over the study period, ranging from 22.5% to 42.1% with an average of 33.6% in British Journal of Psychiatry and a range of 25.5% to 45% with an average of 37.6% in Psychiatric Bulletin. There was a gross under-representation of females as first authors of editorials. Female first authors of original articles from low- and middle income countries range from 0.3% to 3.4% in both British Psychiatric literatures.

There is an increasing trend in female first authorship of original articles. However, female remain under-represented especially in editorials, in the British psychiatric journals examined. Female first authors from low and middle income countries are disproportionately low.