Welcome to My Survey

Invitation To Participate In Research: Information For You

Exploring your experience of anxiety during pregnancy and after birth.

Thank you for taking the time to read this information. My name is Hollie Byrne. I am a student at University College Dublin (UCD). I am completing a PhD in Clinical Psychology at the UCD School of Psychology. Associate Professor Barbara Dooley supervises this research study. This research has been reviewed and approved by the UCD HREC Ethics Committee.

What is this research about?

We aim to gather information about how and why anxiety is experienced by pregnant women and mothers in Ireland.

Why I am doing this research?

A lot of the research in this area has focused on low mood and depression during pregnancy and after the birth of a baby. However, we now know that pregnant women in Ireland can experience anxiety during pregnancy and after the birth of their baby. We do not know very much about what may contribute towards women in Ireland experiencing anxiety and worry while pregnant and shortly after birth, or what may be helpful to reduce this anxiety.

Why have you been invited to take part?

You have been invited to take part, as we are interested in learning about your experience of anxiety as a pregnant woman. We are inviting pregnant women, who are between 36 and 40 weeks pregnant (or overdue) and aged over 18 to take part. You should not take part in this study if you do not meet these criteria. To take part, you must be living in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.

How will your data be used?

The information that you share with us will be used to investigate how we can identify pregnant women who may be struggling with anxious feelings. We will analyse the data carefully and publish our findings so that they can be shared with other researchers and health professionals. When we are finished the study, the data will be securely stored so that it may be used in future research.
What will happen if you decide to take part in this research study?

If you would like to take part, we ask that you enter your email in the box at the end of this page. When you have done so, you will be directed to click a link, which will take you to a survey. You will be asked to complete this survey now, while you are pregnant, and 6 weeks after the birth of your baby. The survey will ask you some information about your current life circumstances and previous experiences of pregnancy (if you have been pregnant before). You will then be asked to answer some questions about your mood, anxious feelings, worries, coping skills, self-esteem, important relationships, and social support. You will be contacted by email at 6 weeks following your expected due date, to complete the questionnaire again (if you wish), so that we can understand how you are getting on after the birth of your baby/babies. You will receive a reminder email to complete the survey 6 weeks after the expected due date of your baby. The questionnaire will take about 20-25 minutes to complete.

How will your privacy be protected?

The only identifying information we ask you to provide is your email address. You will be asked to generate an anonymous code for your survey response. It will not be possible to link your email address to your survey responses, as they are stored separately. We ask that you do not enter any identifying information in the survey. When we publish this study, it will not be possible to identify anyone who took part. Your data will also be stored on a password-protected computer, in a password-protected file. Only the researchers, and the PhD examiner will have access to data.
What are the benefits of taking part in this research study?

If you take part in the study, there are no direct benefits to you. However, in taking part and sharing your experience we can learn more about how to support pregnant women and mothers who experience anxiety.

What are the risks of taking part in this research study?

Some women may find it upsetting to answer questions relating to difficult life experiences, previous experiences of pregnancy, low mood or worries. If you feel upset, we advise that you contact your General Practitioner. You may also contact your maternity health care professional (e.g. midwife, consultant, public health nurse) should you experience distress. You can find information on helpful services and supports at www.yourmentalhealth.ie. You can also contact Nurture (phone: 041 982 2022, email: info@nurturecharity.org). Nurture is a charity, which offers affordable, professional counseling for issues relating to pregnancy and childbirth. You may also contact Nurture if you would like to discuss difficult experiences during a previous pregnancy. If you are experiencing physical abuse, we advise you to contact Women’s Aid at 1800 341 900.

Can you change your mind at any stage and withdraw from the study?

If you take part now, at between 36 and 40 weeks (or overdue), you may close the webpage of the survey at any time to withdraw. If you complete the survey now, decide that you do not want to complete the follow-up questionnaire 6 weeks after the birth of your baby, you can email hollie.byrne@ucdconnect.ie to state this and we will not contact you again. You do not have to give a reason. It is important for you to know, that if you do this, we cannot remove any of your previous survey responses, as you have completed them anonymously.

How will you find out what happens with this project?

You will receive a short summary of the research findings to your email address when the study is completed.

Contact details for further information
If you have a question about the information above, and you consent to taking part, please contact hollie.byrne@ucdconnect.ie

Question Title

* 1. If you have read and understood the information above and you consent to taking part, please enter your email.

Question Title

* 2. How many weeks pregnant are you?

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