Dr Abigail Easter
Reader in Maternal and Newborn Health
Research interests
- Child & Family
- Mental Health
- Women
Biography
Dr Easter is a Reader in Maternal and Newborn Health in the Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, at King’s College London. She is an active member of two research groups, the Maternal Health Policy, Systems and Implementation research group in the Department of Women and Children’s Health, and the Section of Women’s Mental Health at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience.
Her research focuses on maternal morbidity and mortality among women with mental illness and bridging the gap between maternity and mental healthcare services. Her current research programme is aimed at exploring ways to improve the health and social care, and maternal and child outcomes, for women who are experiencing perinatal mental illness. In particular, she is interested in the interface between physical and mental health and healthcare services during pregnancy and in the postnatal period.
Dr Easter completed a Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Implementation Science and is Deputy Lead for the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London Maternity and Perinatal Mental Health Theme. Prior to this she undertook a PhD in the Department of Psychological Medicine, at King’s College London, aimed at exploring the impact of maternal eating disorders on pregnancy, birth, and child health.
She supervises PhD and MSc student research in women’s mental health, health inequalities and implementation science, and leads the Perinatal Mental Health module on the IBSc in Women’s Health. She also teaches on qualitative research methods, implementation science, self-harm and suicide, and eating disorders on BSc and MSc programmes at King’s College London.
Research Interests
- Maternal Mental Health
- Perinatal Mental Health
- Eating Disorders
- Self-harm and Suicide
Teaching
Dr Easter is module co-lead for the Perinatal Mental Health module on the IBSc in Women’s Health. She also teaches on qualitative research methods, implementation science, self-harm and suicide and eating disorders on BSc and MSc programmes at King’s College London.
Abigail provides PhD supervision to doctoral students in women’s and perinatal mental health.
Expertise and Public Engagement
In collaboration with voluntary organisations and healthcare partners, Abigail led the development of an animation and online resource for healthcare professionals working with women with eating disorders during the perinatal period.
Research
Post-pandemic for maternity care for local, regional, and national maternity systems across the four nations
Post-pandemic for maternity care for local, regional, and national maternity systems across the four nations
News
New guidance published on how best to support qualitative researchers
The guidance has been developed to protect and support qualitative researchers who conduct research and analyse data on sensitive, challenging, and difficult...
Pregnant women with serious mental illnesses found to be at higher risk of renal failure, heart attacks and embolisms around childbirth
New research from King’s College London shows that women with serious mental illnesses (SMI) which required specialist care were more likely to have a...
Features
Prioritising maternal mental health through research
Mental illness during pregnancy and the first year after childbirth affects one in four mothers. It is known as perinatal mental illness and can include...
Mental disorders are common for new parents – you don't have to go through it alone
Many new mothers experience mental disorders, and this can be an extremely distressing and stigmatising experience.
Spotlight
Prioritising maternal mental health through research
Mental illness during pregnancy and the first year after childbirth affects one in four mothers. It is known as perinatal mental illness and can include...
Research
Post-pandemic for maternity care for local, regional, and national maternity systems across the four nations
Post-pandemic for maternity care for local, regional, and national maternity systems across the four nations
News
New guidance published on how best to support qualitative researchers
The guidance has been developed to protect and support qualitative researchers who conduct research and analyse data on sensitive, challenging, and difficult...
Pregnant women with serious mental illnesses found to be at higher risk of renal failure, heart attacks and embolisms around childbirth
New research from King’s College London shows that women with serious mental illnesses (SMI) which required specialist care were more likely to have a...
Features
Prioritising maternal mental health through research
Mental illness during pregnancy and the first year after childbirth affects one in four mothers. It is known as perinatal mental illness and can include...
Mental disorders are common for new parents – you don't have to go through it alone
Many new mothers experience mental disorders, and this can be an extremely distressing and stigmatising experience.
Spotlight
Prioritising maternal mental health through research
Mental illness during pregnancy and the first year after childbirth affects one in four mothers. It is known as perinatal mental illness and can include...