Sergio A. Silverio

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Verified

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• MPsycholSci (Hons) L'pool, MSc Brun, PhD King's, CPsychol, RSci, AFBPsS, FRAI, FRSPH
• Lecturer at University of Liverpool

Qualitative researchers often engage in work addressing challenging, difficult, or sensitive topics and are consequently exposed to the participants' narratives which may be emotionally charged, distressing, or compromising. These narratives occasionally rest heavy on a researcher's conscience or may linger in the mind. Much literature has assessed...

Purpose: Early pregnancy complications are common and often result in pregnancy loss, which can be emotionally challenging for women. Research on the emotional experiences of those attending Early Pregnancy Assessment Units [EPAUs] is scarce. This analysis explored the emotions which women spontaneously reported when being interviewed about their e...

Background The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has brought racial and ethnic inequity into sharp focus, as Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic people were reported to have greater clinical vulnerability. During the pandemic, priority was given to ongoing, reconfigured maternity and children's healthcare. This study aimed to understand the intersection between ra...

Purpose This paper aims to call the public health and mental health communities to action by making women’s mental health a public health priority. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual paper introduces a “Female Psychology” approach to framing and interpreting mental health narratives and public health discourses. It also draws upon lifecou...

Background The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented risk to the global population. Maternity care in the UK was subject to many iterations of guidance on how best to reconfigure services to keep women, their families and babies, and healthcare professionals safe. Parents who experience a pregnancy loss or perinatal death require particular care...

Introduction Nearly three quarters of stillbirths and neonatal deaths occur in infants born prematurely. The mothers of these children may be at increased risk of developing mental health difficulties as a result of their premature labour and/or subsequent loss. Methods This systematic review was conducted to understand the psychological experienc...

Preterm birth is a significant public health concern. In England, 8.1% of all births in 2023 were classified as premature. The psychological impact of preterm birth on parents has become of increasing interest to researchers. However, the long-term psychological impact on preterm babies, the effect prematurity has on wider family units, and the eff...

Background The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in major maternity service reconfigurations, particularly an increase in virtual antenatal care (vANC). We aimed to explore the relationship between vANC trajectories over time and pregnancy outcomes. Methods Pregnancy and birth outcome data were obtained pre-pandemic, during the pandemic with, and without...

Between 2020 and 2022 in the United Kingdom (UK), there were 45 maternal deaths from venous thromboembolism (VTE), out of more than 2 million maternities. This occurred despite extensive risk assessment and prescribing of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) thromboprophylaxis, alongside clinicians' overestimate of risk and commitment to the cause....

Objectives: To describe the development and the methodology for validation of a new scale for postpartum anxiety for mothers of preterm infants, and a ‘Velcro’ sub-scale of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale for use with mothers who have had infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Methods: We undertook three forms of iterative psyc...

Problem: Perinatal bereavement can severely disrupt women’s anticipated role as mothers, affecting their psychological wellbeing and identity as parents. Background: Existing research highlights many women report persistent and enduring grief for months or even years post-loss, highlighting the urgent need for interventions to help maintain a heal...

Health-related stigma is associated with adverse outcomes including depression, stress and reduced engagement in health behaviours which are particularly harmful in pregnancy and the postpartum. Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) report negative psychosocial experiences and may be at risk of stigma related to the condition. We aimed to...

Objectives: To evaluate whether term pre-eclampsia (PE) is reduced by screening for PE risk at 35 + 0-36 + 6 weeks' gestation and offering risk-based, planned early term birth. Study design: 'PREVENT-PE' is a multicentre, randomised trial (ISRCTN41632964). Inclusion: Singleton pregnancy, presentation for routine fetal ultrasound at 35 + 0-36 + 6 we...

CRD420251004239: Review question: What are the psychosocial experiences of women who have committed neonaticide, infanticide, or filicide?

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic and relapsing gastrointestinal condition that negatively impacts quality of life. Dietary triggers are common and dietary management is central to the IBS treatment pathway, and dietitians are the main education providers for patients. Objective The aim of this study was to explore dietitians’...

CRD420250653680: Review question: What are the psycho-social implications of body image and body dissatisfaction on the performance of female elite athletes?

Purpose: Whilst the antenatal period is well established as a period of increased vulnerability to mental health difficulties, restrictions resulting from COVID-19 lockdown in the UK are likely to have negatively affected psychosocial outcomes in these women. Materials and Methods: This study aimed to describe prevalence rates of clinically relevan...

Sexual dissatisfaction is one of the main motivations for seeking female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS), though the outcomes of such surgeries are controversial. Evaluation of the sexual function, satisfaction, and assertiveness in FGCS groups. From five clinical centers in Tehran, Iran, 200 women in the study group (women seeking or had undergone...

Background The safety of vaginal breech birth is associated with the skill and experience of professionals in attendance, but minimal training opportunities exist. OptiBreech collaborative care is an evidence‐based care bundle, based on previous research. This care pathway is designed to improve access to care and the safety of vaginal breech birth...

Introduction As health systems struggled to respond to the catastrophic effects of SARS-CoV-2, infection prevention and control measures significantly impacted on the delivery of non-COVID children's and family health services. The prioritisation of public health measures significantly impacted supportive relationships, revealed their importance fo...

Background Recurrent early pregnancy loss [rEPL] is a traumatic experience, marked by feelings such as grief and depression, and often anxiety. Despite this, the psychological consequences of rEPL are often overlooked, particularly when considering future reproductive health or approaching subsequent pregnancies. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to sign...

An increased burden during Covid, and the assumptions which could stand in the way of recovery and growth.

Maternity care is a core service provision of any healthcare system, delivering care for women and birthing people, and their wider family units. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, much of maternity care service provision was reconfigured with the aim of continuing care provision which could not otherwise be re-scheduled or delayed, but in-line with i...

Introduction: Women identified at risk for preterm may be vulnerable to developing mental health difficulties due to the increased likelihood of poor pregnancy outcome and uncertainty surrounding their delivery. Formal assessment of mental wellbeing in specialist preterm birth clinics is not routinely offered but may offer the opportunity for early...

The perinatal period (from antepartum through to the end of the first postpartum year) is a critical and often joyous time for families. However, for some this period can be marked by bereavement, trauma, and/or loss, which can have profound emotional, psychological, and psycho-social impacts. Bereavement, trauma, and loss can take many forms, incl...

Problem and background During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was substantial reconfiguration of maternity care services, affecting both users and healthcare providers (HCPs), in the United Kingdom (UK) and globally. Aim To further our understanding of the impact of maternity service reconfigurations in the UK, from the perspective of maternity HCPs....

Objectives : Preeclampsia (PE) occurs most commonly at term, and currently, there is no effective strategy to prevent it. The PE prevention by timed birth at term trial (PREVENT- PE) with embedded economic evaluation aims to provide cost-effectiveness evidence on whether screening for PE risk at 35+0–36+6 weeks’ gestation and offering women risk-ba...

Review question (CRD42024596532): What are the qualitative evidences on the long-term experiences and repercussions of perinatal grief from the perspective of women who have lost their children?

Background: Postpartum anxiety is a prevalent emotional disorder affecting approximately 20% of women, often more common than postpartum depression. Despite its high prevalence, the Spanish healthcare system lacks screening programs specifically targeting this condition. Methods This study aimed to develop and validate a short version of the Postpa...

Genome sequencing (GS) has the potential to reduce the “diagnostic odyssey” that many parents of children with rare undiagnosed conditions experience. While much research has considered the impact of receiving a diagnostic result, research has rarely focused solely on the impact of receiving a “no primary finding” (NPF) result. This study aimed to...

Background Postpartum Anxiety [PPA] is a prevalent problem in society, posing a significant burden to women, infant health, and the National Health Service [NHS]. Despite this, it is poorly detected by current maternal mental health practices. Due to the current lack of appropriate psychometric measures, insufficiency in training of healthcare prof...

Objectives: To evaluate whether term pre-eclampsia (PE) can be reduced by screening for PE risk at 35⁺⁰–36⁺⁶ weeks’ gestation and offering women risk-based, planned term birth. Study design: ‘PREVENT-PE’ is a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised trial. Inclusion: singleton pregnancy, presentation for routine fetal ultrasound at 35⁺⁰-36⁺⁶ weeks’ gesta...

Maternal vaccination during pregnancy, in general and against COVID-19 infection, offers protection to both mother and baby, but uptake remains suboptimal. This study aimed to explore the perceptions regarding COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy, particularly for marginalised populations and those living with social or medical complexity. A total of...

Background Women who suffer an early pregnancy loss require specific clinical care, aftercare, and ongoing support. In the UK, the clinical management of early pregnancy complications, including loss is provided mainly through specialist Early Pregnancy Assessment Units. The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed the way in which maternity and gyn...

Introduction Healthcare services for pregnant and postpartum (‘perinatal’) women were reconfigured significantly at the advent and for the duration of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and despite the United Kingdom announcing ‘Freedom Day’ on 19 July 2021 (whereafter all legal lockdown-related restrictions were lifted), restrictions to maternity (antenatal...

Background Testing positive for COVID-19 was associated with higher rates of detrimental psycho-social and physical health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruption to everyday life. This included major reconfiguration of maternal, child, and perinatal mental health and care services and provision. This study aimed to investig...

Maternity care is a core service provision of any healthcare system, delivering care for women and birthing people, and their wider family units. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, much of maternity care service provision was reconfigured with the aim of continuing care provision which could not otherwise be re-scheduled or delayed, but in-line with i...

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic and relapsing gastrointestinal condition which negatively impacts quality of life (1). Dietary triggers are common and dietary management is central to the IBS treatment pathway with dietitians being the main education providers for patients ⁽²⁾ . The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of di...

Introduction The burden of severe maternal morbidity is highest in sub-Saharan Africa, and its relative contribution to maternal (ill) health may increase as maternal mortality continues to fall. Women’s perspective of their long-term recovery following severe morbidity beyond the standard 42-day postpartum period remains largely unexplored. Metho...

The role of anxiety is unknown in relation to postpartum bonding, unlike the well-known detrimental effect that postpartum depression has on the relationship between a mother and child. This study investigates how anxiety affects mother–infant bonding after childbirth, comparing the Italian version of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS-IT)...

Objective To explore antenatal experiences of social and healthcare professional support during different phases of social distancing restriction implementation in the UK. Design Semi-structured interviews were conducted via telephone or video-conferencing software between 13 July 2020 – 2 September 2020. Interviews were transcribed and a recurren...

CRD42024522617 Review question What are the effects of Jungian sandplay therapy on the psychological health of children and adolescents?

Objective The English‐language Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS) is a valid, reliable measure for postpartum anxiety (PPA), but its 51‐item length is a limitation. Consequently, the PSAS Working Group developed the PSAS Research Short‐Form (PSAS‐RSF), a statistically robust 16‐item tool that effectively assesses PPA. This study aimed to asse...

Problem The COVID-19 pandemic hindered access to routine healthcare globally, prompting concerns about possible increases in pregnancy loss and perinatal death. Background PUDDLES is an international collaboration exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on parents who experience pregnancy loss and perinatal death in seven countries, includin...

Background Maternity care services in the United Kingdom have undergone drastic changes due to pandemic-related restrictions. Prior research has shown maternity care during the pandemic was negatively experienced by women and led to poor physical and mental health outcomes in pregnancy. A synthesis is required of published research on women’s exper...

Background: Returning to sport postpartum is becoming increasingly common for elite athletes. While policies to support women during this period are emerging, this remains an area of limited research. To date the lived postpartum experience of UK elite athletes as they returned to sport has not been explored. Methods: This qualitative study collate...

Objective Virtual reality (VR) has become increasingly popular in clinical and health settings where it has been used for a wide range of purposes. A recent scoping review explored VR applications to assist pregnant women and found that VR was a useful method to be used for a range of different purposes in both pregnancy and labour. However, no suc...

COVID-19 vaccination rates are lower in women of reproductive age (WRA), including pregnant/postpartum women, despite their poorer COVID-19-related outcomes. We evaluated the vaccination experiences of 3568 U.K. WRA, including 1983 women (55.6%) experiencing a pandemic pregnancy, recruited through the ZOE COVID Symptom Study app. Two staggered onli...

Background Suicide is a leading cause of maternal death during pregnancy and the year after birth (the perinatal period). While maternal suicide is a relatively rare event with a prevalence of 3.84 per 100,000 live births in the UK [1], the impact of maternal suicide is profound and long-lasting. Many more women will attempt suicide during the peri...

Objective Mothers of premature infants are more likely to develop anxiety during the first postpartum year than mothers of term infants. However, commonly used measures of anxiety were developed for general adult populations and may produce spurious, over-inflated scores when used in a postpartum context. Although perinatal-specific tools such as...

Objective Depression is an increasingly common mental health disorder in the UK, managed predominantly in the community by GPs. Emerging evidence suggests lifestyle medicine is a key component in the management of depression. We aimed to explore GPs’ experiences, attitudes, and challenges to providing lifestyle advice to patients with depression....

Introduction The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the reconfiguration of perinatal and maternity services, national lockdowns, and social distancing measures which affected the perinatal experiences of new and expectant parents. This study aimed to explore the occurrence of postpartum anxieties in people who gave birth during the pandemic....

Review question: 1) What are the psychological experiences of mothers who give birth to a preterm baby who subsequently dies?

Background Breastfeeding offers many health benefits to mother and infant. Problem Breastfeeding difficulties are common and are linked with postnatal distress. Aim To explore the lived experiences of breastfeeding continuation despite facing difficulties. Methods Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight women who had exp...

Problem Early pregnancy losses [EPL] are common, varied, and require different courses of management and care. Background In the UK, women who suspect or suffer a pregnancy loss are usually provided specialist care in early pregnancy assessment units [EPAUs]. Their configuration has recently been evaluated, but recommendations for change in-line w...

Introduction It is well established that a premature birth increases the likelihood of developing anxiety during the postpartum period, and that the environment of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) might be a contributing factor. Mothers of earlier premature infants may experience these anxieties to a higher degree compared to mothers of late...

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant lifecourse rupture, not least to those who had specific physical vulnerabilities to the virus, but also to those who were suffering with mental ill health. Women and birthing people who were pregnant, experienced a perinatal bereavement, or were in the first post-partum year (i.e., perinatal)...

Conferences have been discussed as spaces for academic work to extend beyond the confines of one’s institution, fostering environments of collaborative working, learning, and social bond-making. The British Psychological Society’s Psychology of Women and Equalities Section hosts an annual conference, attended by feminist scholars from around the wo...

Background Persistent, high rates of maternal mortality amongst ethnic minorities is one of the UK’s starkest examples of racial disparity. With greater risks of adverse outcomes during maternity care, ethnic minority women are subjected to embedded, structural and systemic discrimination throughout the healthcare service. Methods Fourteen semi-st...

Postpartum anxiety has negative consequences for both mother and infant, so effective identification and measurement is vital to enable intervention. Despite NICE recommendations to prioritise the measurement of postpartum anxiety in mothers, current clinical measurement in England remains both fragmented and flawed. The Postpartum Specific Anxiety...

Introduction: We aimed to explore the lived experiences of caesarean birth complicated by impaction of the foetal head, for mothers and midwives. Methods: A pragmatic, qualitative, focus group study of mixed-participants was conducted, face-to-face. They were postpartum women (n = 4), midwives (n = 4), and a postpartum midwife (n = 1) who had exper...

Résumé La COVID-19 a entraîné des changements dans les services de santé périnataux. Une étude transversale mixte réalisée auprès de 58 femmes québécoises ayant vécu le décès de leur enfant en période périnatale durant la pandémie permet d’identifier les enjeux de ce parcours parental complexifié et de proposer une offre de soins et services sécuri...

Introduction While often positive, the lifecourse transition to motherhood is susceptible to the risk for developing mood disorders. Postpartum anxiety has often been overshadowed by other perinatal-specific mental health disorders, such as postpartum depression, and therefore has not been at the forefront or center of as much empirical study. This...

Background The increasing prevalence of postpartum anxiety as a common psychological problem affects a large part of women's lives. Despite the existence of tools in this field, but due to the lack of specificity in reflecting postpartum anxiety, it is necessary to have a specific tool to screen it. Since the psychometric evaluation of the Postpar...

Background The global prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing, and it can significantly impact women’s psychosocial outcomes in the perinatal period. The aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial impacts including experiences of support for women with GDM in the antenatal and postnatal period. Methods Semi-structure...

Background Due to its high pervasiveness and adversarial consequences, postpartum anxiety has been one of the most worrying public health concerns in the last decade. According to previous research, the occurrence of mental disorders among women in the postpartum period upsurges significantly in the course of universal disasters. The Postpartum Spe...

Background Disadvantaged populations (such as women from minority ethnic groups and those with social complexity) are at an increased risk of poor outcomes and experiences. Inequalities in health outcomes include preterm birth, maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, and poor-quality care. The impact of interventions is unclear for this pop...

Initial COVID-19-related social distancing restrictions, imposed in the UK in March 2020, and the subsequent lifting of restrictions in May 2020 caused antenatal disruption and stress which exceeded expected vulnerabilities associated with this lifecourse transition. The current study aimed to explore the antenatal psychological experiences of wome...

Background Pregnant and postpartum women were identified as having particular vulnerability to severe symptomatology of SARS-CoV-2 infection, so maternity services significantly reconfigured their care provision. We examined the experiences and perceptions of maternity care staff who provided care during the pandemic in South London, United Kingdom...

How does health literacy influence adherence to dietary recommendations, guidance, and advice in women at risk of gestational diabetes mellitus or those with a diagnosis?

Objective: The transition to motherhood is a period of risk for the development of mood disorders. Postpartum anxiety has not been as thoroughly studied as other emotional disorders despite its impact on mothers and their babies. The absence of standardized programmes for early detection and specific tools for its diagnosis means postpartum anxiet...

Introduction: Infant and maternal breastfeeding benefits are well documented, globally. Despite efforts to increase global breastfeeding rates, the majority of high-income settings fall short of recommended targets. Breastfeeding rates in the UK are especially poor, and physiological difficulties (e.g., inverted nipples), fail to account for the ob...

Engaging women affected by Obstetric Fistula as advocates has been proposed as an effective strategy to raise awareness of the condition. Limited literature exists on the experience of those who become advocates. A model of community education, in Sierra Leone, trained women affected by Obstetric Fistula to become volunteer Fistula Advocates. This...

Introduction A recent analysis of Gambian infants showed that plasma iron concentrations decline rapidly from birth to levels below the 95% reference range within 5 months of age. To address this issue, a clinical trial was initiated to assess the efficacy of early iron supplementation in breastfed infants under 6 months of age (‘Iron Babies’; NCT...

Problem: There has been little focus on women's views of care and recovery following pregnancy complicated by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy [HDP] despite long-term implications for maternal health. Background: Increasingly in clinical research, areas of interest include the extent to which women are involved in postnatal care planning, perc...