Christine McCourt

Christine McCourt is Professor of Maternal and Child Health at the School of Health and Medical Sciences, City, University of London, where she leads the Centre for Research in Maternal and Child Health. She teaches across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, including Midwifery and Public Health. Her research applies anthropological theory to Western healthcare, with a focus on maternity systems, women’s experiences, and institutional reform.

• PhD in Anthropology, London School of Economics (1986–1990)
• BA in Anthropology (1st Class), London School of Economics (1980–1983)

Her research centers on maternal and child health, with key interests in maternity care organization, institutional change, ethnographic methodology, access to care, and cultural safety. She explores how healthcare systems shape experiences of childbirth, particularly for minority ethnic groups and underserved populations. Her work emphasizes patient-centered care, continuity models, and midwifery-led services.

Her recent publications analyze group antenatal care, cervical ripening at home, self-monitoring of blood pressure in pregnancy, and access to midwife-led birth settings. These studies reflect a strong trend toward evaluating innovative, equitable, and community-based maternity care models using qualitative, mixed-methods, and realist research approaches.

• Managing Editor, Anthropology in Action
• Editorial Board Member, Birth; BJOG
• Peer reviewer for BMJ, Social Science & Medicine, Midwifery, and others
• External reviewer for NIHR, ESRC, EU, and other research funders

Christine supervises a large cohort of doctoral students and has led major research projects funded by NIHR, DoH, and the Scottish Chief Scientist Office. She has coordinated evaluations of midwifery continuity of care, birthplace policies, and group antenatal care models. Her work often involves interdisciplinary collaboration with institutions such as King’s College London, University of Stirling, and UCL.

She leads the Centre for Research in Maternal and Child Health and has been instrumental in developing and evaluating the Pregnancy Circles model of group antenatal care. Her research team includes fellows and collaborators from across the UK and internationally, including Brazil and Portugal.