Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research

• Professor Susan Ayers (Centre Lead)
• Dr Katherine Curtis-Tyler (research group lead)
• Professor Christine McCourt (research group lead)
• Professor Debra Salmon (research group lead)
• Judy Brook
• Dr Rose Coates
• Dr Jane Chudleigh
• Dr Nirupa Dattani
• Miranda Dodwell
• Michelle Ellis
• Judith Flood
• Gill Harper
• Valance Hughes
• Nirupa Jobanputra
• Rosemary Lanlehin
• Suzanne Lee
• Professor Alison Macfarlane
• Rosemary Marx
• Dr Ellinor Olander
• Dr Divya Parmar
• Dr Louise Phillips
• Dr Juliet Rayment
• Dr Lucia Rocca-Ihenacho
• Dr Mandie Scamell
• Ellie Taylor
• Ellen Thaels
• Dr Valerie Thurtle
• Octavia Wiseman

• Maria Raisa (Ryc) Acquino
• Miriam Ashford
• Susan Bradley
• Gayle Clifford
• Giordana Pinheiro Da Motta
• Florence Darling
• Amy Delicate
• Pelin Dikmen
• Jenny McLeish
• Donna Moore
• Claudia Oblasser
• Shawn Walker
• Rebecca Webb
• Cassandra Yuill

• Dr Roa Altaweli
• Dr Agatha Bula
• Dr Jackie Baxter
• Dr Ghada Ibrahim

Research group lead: Professor Christine McCourt

Our research focuses on evaluating models of maternity, child and family services and care. Our work aims to improve care through rigorous studies using a range of methodologies with an emphasis on evidence-based care, appropriate uses of technology, service change and development and professional and user experience issues. This theme also has a strong inter-disciplinary thread of applying social science concepts and epidemiological approaches to clinical and organisational issues. Much of our work adopts a critical theory perspective, and takes account of the complexity of healthcare interventions and contexts.

We are currently involved in a range of research projects and programmes on issues such as implementation of evidence based practice in maternity care, implementing NICE guidance on birth in different settings, factors influencing the uptake of midwifery units, trialling of home monitoring of blood pressure, development and tribally of a group model of ante- and postnatal care (see projects), inter-professional relationships and retention in midwifery and health visiting and analysis of maternity outcomes by time of day and day of the week. Areas of interest within the group include concepts of choice, risk and safety and their relationship with service delivery and change, professionalisation processes and experiences, gender and healthcare and concepts of motherhood, childhood and the family. Our work is funded by a range of sources, including the National Institute for Health Research, the European Union and the Medical Research Council.

Our findings have been published in high impact journals and presented at conferences around the world. We have established links with a range of user, professional and policy organisations and university departments at local, national and international levels. Our work has influenced the development of maternity services throughout the United Kingdom (UK), and has impacted on health policy and guidelines in this area.

Example Research Projects

Additional information on our current research projects can be found on the Centre for Maternal and Child Health’s Research’s blog.

• BUMP Programme
• Factors influencing the use of freestanding and alongside midwifery units in England (MU Study)
• REACH Pregnancy Programme (Pregnancy Circles)
• How can NICE recommendations on place of birth for women with uncomplicated pregnancies be implemented in practice? (NICE Birthplace Action)
• The Collaborating in Pregnancy and Early years (COPE) project aim is to improve collaboration between healthcare professionals delivering care for women and their families during and after pregnancy.
• Direct-entry midwives moving into Health Visiting
• Respectful care in maternity (doctoral project)
• NICE Birth Place Action Project

Research group lead: Professor Susan Ayers

Our research focusses on the mental health and psychological wellbeing of mothers, their partners and children. Our work has three key areas: identifying mental health needs of women and their families during pregnancy and after birth; improving screening for mental health problems; and innovations in the delivery of mental health care and treatment.

This multidisciplinary group comprises 9 academic and research staff and 6 doctoral students working on projects ranging from locally focused studies of mental health screening in London to international studies of mental health in women and children. Current and recent research includes examining women's perinatal mental health in developing countries; a national survey of the well-being of parents with very preterm babies; studies of birth trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder in women after birth; and evaluations of internet self-help interventions to reduce postnatal psychological problems.

We have established links with NHS Trusts and user-representative organisations in the UK, as well as international links with researchers in Europe, America, and Australasia. This includes the International Network for Perinatal PTSD Research, an international research initiative which is run by members of this group.

Additional information on our current research projects can be found on the Centre for Maternal and Child Health’s Research’s blog.

Example Research projects

• WIP study
• HABIT trial

Research Group Lead: Dr Katherine Curtis-Tyler

Our research focuses on population health, preventive action and health care for women and children including socially and economically marginalised groups, including issues of equity of access to and quality of care. We aim to describe inequalities in maternal and child health outcomes to inform public health policies and improve services for women, children and their families. Research includes young teenage parenting, mothering and feeding children with neurodisability, maternal and child health in relation to HIV/AIDS, and the health of  homeless and migrant populations, obesity in pregnancy and in children, sickle cell and female genital mutilation. We are currently working on projects ranging from locally focussed studies in East London to national studies, such as on prevalence of FGM and the timing of birth  and its outcome by time of day and day of the week  and international comparisons of perinatal indicators. We use a range of methodological approaches including  quantitative and qualitative methods and linkage and secondary analysis of national and linked datasets.

We have well established links with Barts Health NHS Trust, Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust and public health departments in East London as well as with the Department of Health, Home Office, the Office for National Statistics and non-governmental organisations such as Maternity Action and the NCT and international networks such as ROAM (Reproductive Outcomes and Migration) and Euro-Peristat. Our work has informed the development of maternal and child healthcare services and policy in England and internationally.

Research Group Lead: Professor Debra Salmon

Our research focuses on developing care pathways that link community and clinical services for women and children and on research into effectiveness of education to support practice. Our work aims to improve care in the community for women and children healthcare through rigorous qualitative and quantitative evaluations with an emphasis on evaluating educational and community interventions, health promotion in the community, and outreach with hard to reach or disadvantaged communities. This work is incorporated into educational programmes preparing the next generation of professionals working with women and children.

We are currently working on projects including the Toolkit project which is producing resources to improve health visiting interventions with vulnerable families, and work to prevent long term obesity through increasing exercise by women during pregnancy. Our findings have been published in high impact journals and presented at conferences around the world. We have established links with Barts Health NHS Trust, Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust, East London Mental Health NHS Trust and a range of other health Trusts, as well as the community nursing research organisation International Collaboration for Community Health Nursing Research.