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Dr Nicola Savory
Research Associate
- SavoryNA@cardiff.ac.uk
- Heath Park West (formerly Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)), Floor 1, Room 16, St Agnes Rd, Cardiff, CF14 4US
Overview
I am an experienced and practicing clinical midwife, and postdoctoral research associate in the School of Healthcare Sciences at Cardiff University.
I use mixed methods research to explore the experiences of women and midwives in relation to maternity care. My research interests and expertise include antenatal care, early labour and induction of labour, perinatal mental health and breastfeeding peer support.
My research aims to inform healthcare services organisation, with the aim of improving the support we provide to our perinatal population.
I am in currently in receipt of a Personal Award from Health and Care Research Wales. This is providing me time to develop an application to explore the physical and psychological outcomes for women who have their labours induced.
Publication
2022
- Savory, N. A., Sanders, J. and Hannigan, B. 2022. Midwives’ experiences of supporting women's mental health: A mixed-method study. Midwifery 111, article number: 103368. (10.1016/j.midw.2022.103368)
- Savory, N., Hannigan, B. and Sanders, J. 2022. Women's experience of mild to moderate mental health problems during pregnancy, and barriers to receiving support. Midwifery 108, article number: 103276. (10.1016/j.midw.2022.103276)
2021
- Savory, N. A., Hannigan, B., John, R. M., Sanders, J. and Garay, S. M. 2021. Prevalence and predictors of poor mental health among pregnant women in Wales using a cross-sectional survey. Midwifery 103, article number: 103103. (10.1016/j.midw.2021.103103)
2020
- Savory, N. 2020. Mothers mood study: women's and midwives experiences of perinatal mental health and service provision. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
2018
- Janssen, A. et al. 2018. Persistence of anxiety symptoms after elective caesarean delivery. Bjpsych Open 4(5), pp. 354-360. (10.1192/bjo.2018.48)
2015
- Janssen, A. B. et al. 2015. Placental expression of imprinted genes varies with sampling site and mode of delivery. Placenta 36(8), pp. 790-795. (10.1016/j.placenta.2015.06.011)
Articles
- Savory, N. A., Sanders, J. and Hannigan, B. 2022. Midwives’ experiences of supporting women's mental health: A mixed-method study. Midwifery 111, article number: 103368. (10.1016/j.midw.2022.103368)
- Savory, N., Hannigan, B. and Sanders, J. 2022. Women's experience of mild to moderate mental health problems during pregnancy, and barriers to receiving support. Midwifery 108, article number: 103276. (10.1016/j.midw.2022.103276)
- Savory, N. A., Hannigan, B., John, R. M., Sanders, J. and Garay, S. M. 2021. Prevalence and predictors of poor mental health among pregnant women in Wales using a cross-sectional survey. Midwifery 103, article number: 103103. (10.1016/j.midw.2021.103103)
- Janssen, A. et al. 2018. Persistence of anxiety symptoms after elective caesarean delivery. Bjpsych Open 4(5), pp. 354-360. (10.1192/bjo.2018.48)
- Janssen, A. B. et al. 2015. Placental expression of imprinted genes varies with sampling site and mode of delivery. Placenta 36(8), pp. 790-795. (10.1016/j.placenta.2015.06.011)
Thesis
- Savory, N. 2020. Mothers mood study: women's and midwives experiences of perinatal mental health and service provision. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Research
My research interests include antenatal care of pregnant women and birthing people, especially early labour and induction of labour, service provision, staff and users experience, perinatal mental health and peer support for breastfeeding. I am also passionate about sustainable health care. I use mixed methods in my research and have experience of process evaluation, group and individual interviews and working with public involvement. I also have several years’ experience as a clinical research midwife, setting up, co-ordinating and supporting the delivery and management of studies including randomised control trials.
I use my clinical practice as a midwife to inform my research. My PhD focused on mild to moderate anxiety and depression in pregnancy. My thesis is entitled 'Mothers Mood Study: women's and midwives' experiences of perinatal mental health and service provision. Data collection included surveys with pregnant women and midwives, interviews with women and focus groups with midwives.
I have experience working as a research associate on a large UK wide randomised control trial exploring peer support for infant feeding. This role included supporting three Health boards in Wales to recruited and follow up participants. I was also involved in the process evaluation, obtaining data from a wide range of sources and used framework analysis to analyse the data.
I have recently been awarded a Personal Accelerator Award from Health and Care Research Wales which is providing time to develop a funding application for my post-doctoral project.
Biography
Education and qualifications
2020 PhD, Cardiff University
2006 BSc (hons) Health and Social care (1st class), Open University
1988 Registered Midwife, School of Midwifery, Cardiff
1986 Registered Nurse, Trinity College, Carmarthen
Honours and awards
2024 Awarded a Personal Accelerator Award from Health and Care Research Wales
2019 Awarded second prize. Mothers Mood study (MoMs). RCBC conference, City Hall, Cardiff
2017 Awarded second prize. Perinatal mental health, experiences of mothers and midwives. PGR symposium, Cardiff University
2016 Awarded a PhD fellowship from the Research Capacity Building Collaboration Wales
Professional memberships
Royal College of Midwifery
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Academic positions
2024 Treialon Cymru Associate member
2024 Research Associate, Personal Award holder, Cardiff University
2024 Health and Care Research Wales Faculty member
2021 Research Associate, Cardiff University
2016 PhD student, Cardiff University
Speaking engagements
Presentations:
June 2024. My experience of applying for a Personal Award. Research Away Day, Cardiff University
September 2023. ABA feed qualitative data, presentation to patient and public involvement group. Virtual
October 2020. Mothers Mood Study: women’s and midwives’ experiences of perinatal mental health and service provision. Wales perinatal mental health network, NHS Wales and The Royal College of Psychiatrists Wales, Virtual
August 2020. Perinatal Mental Health Board meeting. Virtual
May 2020. Perinatal mental health: experiences of mothers during pregnancy and the midwives who support them. Virtual International Day of the Midwife (VIDM) conference
Poster presentations:
March 2020. Mothers Mood Study: women’s and midwives’ experiences of perinatal mental health and service provision. RCM research conference, Leeds
October 2019. Perinatal mental health: a mixed methods study. R&D conference, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
May 2019. Mothers Mood Study (MoMs). RCBC conference, City Hall, Cardiff
Nov 2017. Perinatal mental health, experiences of mothers and midwives. PGR symposium, Cardiff University
Committees and reviewing
Committee member:
- NICE Adoption and Impact Reference Panel 2024 - present
- School of Healthcare Sciences Ethics Committee 2022 - present
- Member of the All Wales Perinatal Mental Health Network 2020 - 2022
- Chair of the Postgraduate Research symposium committee 2017 - 2018
Journal reviewer for:
- Midwifery
- Frontiers in Medicine
- BMC Women's Health
- Women and Health
- Children
- Qeios
- Wellcome Open Research
- RCM conference abstract reviewer 2022
Research themes
Specialisms
- Clinical midwifery
- Clinical research
- Research
- Psychosocial aspects of childbirth and perinatal mental health
- Antenatal