Zoe Darwin

I joined the University of Huddersfield in 2020 as a Reader, having previously worked at the University of Leeds and the University of York. My background is in Applied Health Research and I am a Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society. Psychosocial aspects of reproduction is my primary area of research, with a particular interest being perinatal mental health and wellbeing in all parents. I am strongly committed to applied research that has the potential to impact policy and practice. I have worked with a range of methodologies and methods including randomised controlled trials, primary qualitative research, mixed methods evaluations, quantitative systematic reviews and qualitative evidence syntheses. I am proud to be involved with several external roles including being Deputy Chair of the Society for Reproductive and Infant Psychology and sitting on the Editorial Board for Baby Buddy and for the journal Birth. These enable me to help publicise research in reproductive psychology and to make research findings accessible and meaningful to members of the public.

One of the most rewarding parts of my role is supervising postgraduate researchers. Current and past projects include midwife-father communication in birth (Debbie Garrod), psychological distress and help-seeking in the perinatal period in men of South Asian heritage (Katie O'Connell-Binns), weight management in pregnancy (Hannah Hartley), body image dissatisfaction during and after pregnancy (Jess Teale), post-traumatic growth following traumatic birth (Rhianna Ketley) and perinatal mental health in co-mothers (Alex Howat).