Live Research

Looking for participants

Thank you for visiting this page and showing your interest in the vital research taking place around birth trauma, professionals wellness and maternal mental health. Please see below all projects which are currently live and looking for participants. Please read with care.

LOOKING BEYOND BMI IN MATERNITY CARE

Study led by: Janine Smith

Study aim: SHAPES is a research study at Newcastle University, which is investigating whether there is an alternative to solely measuring BMI during pregnancy. The aim is to see if different measurements can tailor antenatal care and options rather than assuming risk based on BMI. SHAPES has involved feedback, guidance and perspective from expectant and new mothers and birthing people throughout the project and we would like to continue this during the next phase, SHAPES-Bio.

Participant requirements: We would like to expand our PPIE panel to include a diverse range of mothers from across England who may also have experienced BMI-related issues in pregnancy.

During 2026 there will be:

• 3 x online steering group meetings: each meeting is for 2 hours, plus 1-hour preparation meeting and 1-hour post meeting debrief

• 5 x online discussion groups: each session is for an hour, with the potential of 1-hour preparation.

We welcome ongoing involvement but we also appreciate one-off contributions.
Payment is £25 per hour for each meeting and planned preparation, which is paid in e-gift vouchers.

To find out more or request to take part: By emailing hello@janine-smith.com.

Recruitment closes: January 2026.

UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECT OF HORMONES WITHIN THE PERINATAL PERIOD

Study led by: Ellie Tolson

Study aim: The perinatal period (the period of time when one becomes pregnant and up to 24 months after giving birth) is a phase of importance changes in hormones, mood and emotion which can impact overall wellbeing. Although these changes are usually temporary and do not require medical attention, some women can find it difficult to cope with these experiences. In some circumstances, women’s experiences may be characterised by a perinatal mental health condition such as postpartum mania or psychosis.

With this study, we want to understand the experiences of women in the perinatal period that might experience mania- or psychotic-related symptoms, to help shape services that can best support them.

Participant requirements: Symptoms might include, but are not limited to:
• Feeling more euphoric, irritable or agitated than usual
• Feeling the need for less sleep than usual
• Being more easily distracted or confused than usual
• Increased self-esteem or self-confidence
• Rapidly changing moods (including highs, lows and suicidal thoughts)
• Seeing, hearing or feeling things that others may not.

Experiences of these symptoms (if present) do not need to have caused distress. However, the symptoms must have lasted for at least one week, present for most of the day and nearly every day that week, during a one-month period.

To take part you must:
• Speak fluent English.
• Be age 18 or over.
• Be currently pregnant or have given birth in the past 24 months.
• NOT currently be experiencing symptoms relating to mania, psychosis, or any other acute mental health presentation. This means you must feel emotionally well enough to take part in this study and speak in-depth about your experiences.

If you are eligible and wish to take part, you will be asked to arrange an online or telephone interview with the researcher which will be recorded for the purposes of this research. Your anonymity will be maintained throughout this research.

We hope you will find taking part interesting, and a positive experience in shaping services and support to women in the perinatal period. There are no direct benefits to taking part and no compensation for participating at this time.

To find out more or request to take part: Before taking part, potential participants must read a participant information sheet and sign a consent form. To request these documents or to ask any questions before consenting to take part, please get in touch with the main researcher via email: e.tolson@lancaster.ac.uk.

Recruitment closes: Friday 19th December or when 10 participants have been recruited, whichever is earlier.

UNDERSTANDING THE EXPERIENCES OF BRITISH PAKISTANI MUSLIM FATHERS

Study led by: Sehar Raza

Study aim: I am Sehar Raza, a Trainee Clinical Psychologist who is also a British Pakistani Muslim. I am keen to gather voices of British Pakistani Muslim fathers to understand their experiences with difficult births.​ It is hoped that this will increase British Pakistani Muslim fathers representation in the literature, improve the level of involvement and care they receive in the perinatal period, and dispelling stereotypes around who the British Pakistani Muslim father is.

Participant requirements: Participants are required to be:
• Fathers of British Pakistani heritage and Muslim.
• Self-Identify as having experienced a stressful birth in the UK that was more than 3 months ago and no longer than 5 years ago.
• Self-identify as having a healthy baby following the stressful birth.
• The mother of the baby identifies as British Pakistani and Muslim.
• Aged above 18.

Participants will receive a £20 gift voucher for their time.

To find out more or request to take part: To watch a brief video about the study, please click here. If you’re interested in taking part, please complete the form in the link here.

If you do have any questions, please email them to umsraz@leeds.ac.uk

Recruitment closes: February 2026.

EXPLORING POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS AND UNUSUAL EXPERIENCES IN BLACK MOTHERS AND BIRTHING PEOPLE

Study led by: Ariel Olufade

Study aim: The research aims to explore how birthing people communicate their stories and experiences of unusual experiences after birth (such as seeing, hearing, or feeling things that felt out of the ordinary) or postpartum psychosis via a one-to-one interview with the researcher.

The interview will focus on timelines of the experience of psychosis or unusual experiences, such as hearing, seeing or feeling unusual things that others do not, following the journey from when it started through to recovery. We would like to understand how Black motehrs and birthing people describe and make sense of the events that occurred during this period. It is hoped that this study will identify key areas where current support and healthcare practices may be inadequate, as well as any areas of good practice. Subsequently, we hope the findings can contribute to the development of more culturally sensitive support and care for Black mothers during the perinatal period.

Participant requirements: The research aims to recruit 6-10 Black women over the age of 18 who have experienced Postpartum Psychosis or unusual experiences (such as seeing, hearing, or feeling things that felt out of the ordinary) at least once during the postnatal period, within the last 5 years.

Each participant will receive a £30 voucher after participation.

To find out more or request to take part: Participants can contact the researcher via email: a.olufade@surrey.ac.uk

Recruitment closes: December 2025.

EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE DURING THE PERINATAL PERIOD

Study led by: Rebecca Lissmann

Study aim: University College London is putting together a funding bid, aiming to conduct research to explore the impact of gender-based violence on health during pregnancy, birth outcomes, and health after pregnancy. Gender-based violence includes rape, sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, amongst other types of violence.

Both pregnancy and gender-based-violence are common, but not much research has been done exploring how gender-based violence might impact pregnancy. Understanding this is important for providing maternity care that supports survivors’ needs.

Participant requirements: I would like to invite people with lived experience of gender based violence, pregnancy and birth to take part in shaping the research questions and research design as part of 'patient and public involvement'. This means participants will be helping develop the research plan, not being research 'subjects'. I will be holding a 2 hour workshop or alternatively I can arrange a 1-1 online meeting. I will compensate participants £30 per hour (voucher). If the workshop is held in person, compensation for travel and childcare will be added.

To find out more or request to take part: Participants can contact the researcher via email: r.lissmann@qmul.ac.uk

Recruitment closes: Workshop held on 24th October 10:00 - 12:00 (online/in person TBC). Alternatively I am available for 1-1 meetings flexibly from 8th October to 7th November.

ANALYSIS OF LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION DURING BIRTH

Study led by: Tara Buckler

Study aim: We are looking for women/birthing people who have experienced a psychologically traumatic birth. To help us better understand the woman/birthing person’s subjective experience of language and communication during a traumatic childbirth. By adding to existing research on birth trauma and the growing research on language and communication during birth we hope this study will influence training for future midwifes and other obstetric professional.

Participant requirements: We are looking for women/birthing people who have experienced a psychologically traumatic birth. This may include those who have been diagnosed with PTSD, or those who feel their birth was traumatic even without a formal diagnosis. People struggling with birth trauma/PTSD may experience symptoms such as distressing memories or flashbacks, nightmares, heightened anxiety, emotional numbness, or avoiding reminders of the birth experience. This study focuses solely on your subjective experience of the language and communication used by healthcare providers during childbirth. If you feel that the language and communication during your childbirth experience affected your emotional well-being, you may be eligible to participate.

Who can take part: Women/Birthing people age 18 or older, who have experienced a traumatic birth between one month and two years ago.

Note: the study is not suitable for those people who have severe mental health problems or acute symptoms, where discussing their experience may be triggering. The researcher will discuss this with you as part of the screening process. The study is also not suitable for those who have experienced perinatal loss (still birth or neonatal death).

If you volunteer to take part, there will be a screening process to ensure eligibility and that it is safe for you to take part in the study. We will let you know if you are eligible or not. If eligible you will be invited to attend one interview about your experience of language and communication with healthcare professionals during childbirth. The interview is estimated to last up to 90 minutes and will be held online (Microsoft Teams). While there is potential for distress during the interview, the risk is considered low and support will be available if needed. Participation is voluntary, will not affect your care and all information you provide will be anonymised.

To find out more or request to take part: Participants can contact the researcher via email: teb214@exeter.ac.uk

Recruitment closes: Ongoing.

UNDERSTANDING HOW TRAUMA AFFECTS DAILY LIFE

Study led by: Ella Mather

Study aim: I am a trainee clinical psychologist studying for a Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology whilst working in the NHS. My thesis aims to investigate how traumatic experiences, such as birth trauma and including other forms of trauma, and a sense of current threat impact on people’s daily lives.

Participant requirements: We are looking to recruit adults who have experienced traumatic events that continue to bother them in their daily lives, and who often feel a current sense of threat.

The current study is an ecological momentary assessment study (EMA), meaning that we assess variables of interest at multiple points throughout the day via questionnaires sent to participants’ smartphones. This method allows us to see how variables of interest impact people day-to-day. This ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study will last for 12 days and will require participants to complete a 1-minute-long survey 5 times a day.

If you are interested in participating, you will need to complete a screening questionnaire via Qualtrics to confirm your eligibility. This Qualtrics form also contains the information sheet and consent forms.
All participants will be entered into a prize draw to win one of two £50 vouchers. There is a separate, additional prize draw of 4 x £50 vouchers for all participants who complete 80% or more of the EMA.

It is also hoped that this work will help inform future research into mental health and wellbeing and ultimately support the development of tools to support therapeutic interventions to improve the lives of trauma exposed individuals.

To find out more or request to take part: If you are interested in participating, please complete the following Qualtrics survey: https://qualtrics.ucl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_82hYAzAX6rMbnIG

Participants can contact the researcher via email: uctveim@ucl.ac.uk

Recruitment closes: January 2026.

UNDERSTANDING BIRTH AFTER EXPERIENCING BIRTH TRAUMA

Study led by: Rachel Briggs

Study aim: I am a trainee Clinical Psychologist working in the NHS whilst studying for the qualification of a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. This doctoral thesis research aims to understand the experiences of mothers/birthing people of pregnancy and birth when they have experienced previous birth trauma with a previous child.

We are interested in people who would describe the birth of a previous baby as psychologically traumatic. No diagnosis is needed.
The research hopefully will contribute to understanding the needs of people with previous birth trauma, and how professionals and parental services can support parents who are pregnant again. We hope to identify examples of what made a birth traumatic so that these can be further studied. We hope any examples of how to reduce the risks of retraumatising mothers who have previous birth trauma and are giving birth again, can be learnt from. The University of Southampton is the research sponsor.

Participant requirements: Adults who self-identify as having a previous traumatic birth experience and have given birth to another baby in the last three years.
Participants will be invited to complete a Qualtrics survey which includes the participant information sheet, consent forms and a demographics form (used to ensure that the research hears from a representative and diverse sample and in writing up the results so the research can consider any impact of diversity).

The survey asks for your email and/or telephone to arrange a 1:1 interview online, or in person where possible. In-person will be partially compensated for travel costs.

All interview participants can choose to be entered into a prize draw for 1x £100, and 2x £25 after their 1:1 interview. Not everyone who completes the survey will be invited to interview due to limited resources. The demographics form is to achieve a representative diverse sample as much as possible.

To find out more or request to take part: Please leave your email and/or phone number as part of the Qualtrics survey and I will contact participants who meet the requirements for the research study and have consented to take part in 1:1 interviews.

Due to wanting to hear from a variety of people who have experienced birth trauma, and having only one researcher available to conduct interviews, unfortunately not everyone who completes the survey will be contacted if numbers proceed the recruitment target.

Please find the link to the research poster and survey here: https://southampton.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b42EWxj9IMHcHxc

Participants can contact the researcher via email: r.briggs@soton.ac.uk

Recruitment closes: Ongoing.

MIDWIVES EXPERIENCES OF BIRTH REFLECTIONS SERVICES

Study led by: Saffron Lewis

Study aim: The aim of this piece of undergraduate research is to explore the role of the Birth Reflections midwife and the service provided to women and birthing people, to see if there are areas of improvement in training for the role to improve outcomes.

Participant requirements: Midwives working within the National Health Service (NHS) Birth Reflections Service/Birth Debriefing, or have done within the past 5 years.

To find out more or request to take part: To take part in the study or for more information, please email sll1n23@soton.ac.uk

Recruitment closes: January 2026.

EXPLORING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE INEQUALITIES OF BLACK WOMEN AND BIRTHING PEOPLE

Study led by: Ope Olusoga

Study aim: B-CHANGE (Black women and Black birthing people Challenging Histories and Nurturing Grassroot Exchanges) is a PhD project that is exploring the psychological experiences of Black women and Black birthing people (trans men, inter-sex and non-binary folk who birth) accessing National Health Service (NHS) maternity/reproductive healthcare services in England. The aim of this project is to tackle reproductive healthcare inequities and positively change the maternity experience for Black women and Black birthing people through community engagement, collaboration and action.

Participant requirements: We are inviting Black women and Black birthing people (trans men, inter-sex and non-binary folk who birth) who are 1) currently pregnant, 2) have given birth in the last 24 months or 3) are considering getting pregnant in the next 24 months to take part. Individuals must be over the age of 18 to participate.

Participants will become part of a Black Birthing Collective as co-researchers. The collective will meet up, over an agreed period of time, for a total of 7 gatherings to co-design and carry out research into Black maternal health. No prior research experience is needed. Co-researchers will receive a £20.00 voucher at the end of the project as a token of appreciation for volunteering their time and expertise.

To find out more or request to take part: Participants can contact the lead researcher via email: ope.olusoga@open.ac.uk

Recruitment closes: Ongoing.

MINDSET AND THE IMPACT OF BIRTH TRAUMA

Study led by: Vicky Lloyd

Study aim: It is currently estimated that around 1 in 3 women will experience birth trauma, either before, during, or following childbirth. A further 4% of women may go on to develop PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). So far, lots of research has been carried out into possible risk factors for birth trauma and its subsequent negative life impact, but there is little research into the factors that can help to promote psychological recovery.

This study will look at whether self-compassion (being kind to yourself), social support (from family, friends and any significant other), psychological flexibility (ability to be in the present moment and behave in ways that are in line with our values) and perceived coping ability (how confident you feel in your ability to manage during difficult or challenging times) have an impact in reducing emotional distress and promoting psychological growth and healing in first-time mothers who have experienced birth trauma.

Participant requirements: I am looking to recruit participants who:
• are an adult (over the age of 18)
• identify as cisgender female (you were assigned female at birth and identify as a woman)
• currently live in the UK
• Are a first-time mother who has given birth to a live-born infant in the last 2 years AND experienced birth trauma prior to, during, or following the birth of your baby. You also have no history of stillbirth or neonatal loss.

To find out more or request to take part: If you have any questions or require more information about this study, please contact Vicky Lloyd (Trainee Clinical Psychologist) at l024632f@students.staffs.ac.uk.

Recruitment closes: Feb 2026.

UNDERSTANDING BLACK EXPERIENCES OF MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT DURING THE PERINATAL PERIOD

Study led by: Sarah Gado

Study aim: Interviewing Black people who have experienced a traumatic birth, about their experiences of support with their mental health, during the perinatal period. I hope to understand more about black people's experiences of the healthcare system, in order to discover what is required to make healthcare more supportive of Black people and people of colour.

Participant requirements: Participants will be people who identify as Black, who have experienced a traumatic birth and who feel as though they can discuss their experiences of seeking or receiving support for their mental health within the perinatal period.

Please see the recruitment poster for more information.

To find out more or request to take part: Please email sw20906@essex.ac.uk.

Recruitment closes: Ongoing.