معرفی
Dr. Abigail Easter is a Reader in Perinatal Mental Health at King's College London, affiliated with the Department of Women and Children's Health and the School of Life Course Sciences. She leads research groups focused on maternal health policy, systems, and implementation science, while also contributing to the Section of Women’s Mental Health at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. Her work bridges gaps between maternity and mental healthcare services, emphasizing maternal morbidity/mortality among women with mental illness and improving outcomes for those experiencing perinatal mental health challenges.
Dr. Easter holds a PhD in Psychological Medicine from King’s College London and has completed a Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship in Implementation Science. She co-leads the Perinatal Mental Health module for the IBSc in Women’s Health and teaches on qualitative research methods, implementation science, and eating disorders. Her research spans reproductive justice, healthcare disparities, and pandemic impacts on maternal care, with a focus on vulnerable populations.
Key research interests include maternal mental health outcomes, eating disorders during pregnancy, suicide prevention in perinatal periods, and healthcare system adaptations during crises. She leads projects addressing safeguarding challenges, vaccine uptake during pregnancy, and interventions for minority ethnic women. Her work has informed national policies and clinical guidelines, emphasizing equity and patient-centered care.
Dr. Easter supervises doctoral students in maternal mental health and implementation science. She collaborates with voluntary organizations and healthcare partners to develop practical resources, such as an animation for healthcare providers supporting women with eating disorders during pregnancy. Recent projects include evaluating trauma-informed care for survivors of child sexual abuse and investigating barriers to perinatal mental health service access.
