Dr Cassandra Yuill
Contact details
About
Overview
I'm a medical anthropologist in the Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research, specialising in maternal health and maternity services in the United Kingdom. My research focuses on ideas, practices and experiences of maternity care. Over the past decade, I've worked on projects on parent-infant sleep, place of birth, induction of labour, perinatal mental health, midwifery-led care and ultrasound scanning. I'm committed to translating social science research into evidence-based practice and informed policy for maternity services.
Qualifications
- PhD, City, University of London, United Kingdom, 2016 - 2019
- MSc, Durham University, United Kingdom, 2012 - January 2013
- BA, University of Maryland, College Park, United States, 2008 - January 2011
Employment
- Research Fellow, City, University London, United Kingdom, 2020 - present
- Research Associate, Durham University, United Kingdom, 2015 - 2016
- Research Assistant, Durham University, United Kingdom, 2013 - 2015
Memberships of professional organisations
- European Association of Social Anthropologists
Languages
French (can read, write, speak, understand spoken)
Publications
Publications by category
Conference paper and proceedings
- Yuill, C., Harkness, M., Cheyne, H., McCourt, C. and Wallace, C. (2022). Clinicians' perspectives and experiences of providing cervical ripening at home or in-hospital in the UK. MOMS 45th Annual Meeting 16 November, Birmingham, UK.
Internet publications (2)
- Yuill, C.(2020).What are women’s experiences of decision-making and choice about their pregnancy and birth care? BMC Series blog.
- Yuill, C.(2020).Reproductive rights in the time of COVID-19. Somatosphere.
Journal articles (27)
- Yuill, C., Scamell, M. and Foya, V. (2026). What are midwives’ views of facilitating and taking part in clinical research? A scoping review of evidence. Midwifery, 160, pp. 104887-104887. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2026.104887
- Lewis, D.M., Yuill, D.C. and Higgins, S. (2026). Implementing The Midwifery Unit Self-Assessment. The Practising Midwife, 29(3), pp. 20-24. doi:10.55975/zfux9201
- Foley, C., McCourt, C. and Yuill, C. (2025). An exploration of midwives’ perceptions of the Ockenden review: a qualitative study. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, 46, pp. 101166-101166. doi:10.1016/j.srhc.2025.101166
- Sinesi, A., Constantinou, G., Yuill, C., Meades, R., Cheyne, H., Maxwell, M.... Howard, G. (2025). Implementing routine assessment of perinatal anxiety: case studies. Health and Social Care Delivery Research pp. 1-17. doi:10.3310/wwmd9982
- Ayers, S., Meades, R., Sinesi, A., Cheyne, H., Maxwell, M., Best, C.... Yuill, C. (2025). COVID-19 and anxiety in pregnancy and postpartum: a longitudinal survey. BMC Public Health, 25(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-025-22257-7
- Yuill, C., Harkness, M., Cheyne, H., Charkin, B., Ferreira, M., Price, E.... McCourt, C. (2025). Women and birth partners’ experiences of cervical ripening at home and in hospital. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 25(1). doi:10.1186/s12884-024-06936-8
- Black, M., Yuill, C., Harkness, M., Ahmed, S., Williams, L., Boyd, K.A.... Stock, S. (2024). Cervical ripening at home or in hospital during induction of labour: the CHOICE prospective cohort study, process evaluation and economic analysis. Health Technology Assessment pp. 1-142. doi:10.3310/lpyt7894
- Best, C., Ayers, S., Sinesi, A., Meades, R., Cheyne, H., Maxwell, M.... Yuill, C. (2024). Socioeconomic deprivation and perinatal anxiety: an observational cohort study. BMC Public Health, 24(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-024-20608-4
- Yuill, C., Sinesi, A., Meades, R., Williams, L.R., Delicate, A., Cheyne, H.... Ayers, S. (2024). Women's experiences and views of routine assessment for anxiety in pregnancy and after birth: A qualitative study. British Journal of Health Psychology, 29(4), pp. 958-971. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12740
- Meades, R., Sinesi, A., Williams, L.R., Delicate, A., Cheyne, H., Maxwell, M.... Gilbody, S. (2024). Evaluation of perinatal anxiety assessment measures: a cognitive interview study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24(1). doi:10.1186/s12884-024-06641-6
- Ayers, S., Coates, R., Sinesi, A., Cheyne, H., Maxwell, M., Best, C.... Jomeen, J. (2024). Assessment of perinatal anxiety: diagnostic accuracy of five measures. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 224(4), pp. 132-138. doi:10.1192/bjp.2023.174
- Harkness, D.M., Yuill, D.C., McCourt, C. and Cheyn, P.H. (2023). The Choice Study, Cervical Ripening In-Hospital and At-Home: Qualitative Findings and Implications for Practice. The Practising Midwife, 26(10), pp. 19-23. doi:10.55975/lkgy2380
- Harkness, M., Yuill, C., Cheyne, H., McCourt, C., Black, M., Pasupathy, D.... Stock, S.J. (2023). Experience of induction of labour: a cross-sectional postnatal survey of women at UK maternity units. BMJ Open, 13(5), pp. e071703-e071703. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-071703
- Yuill, C., Harkness, M., Wallace, C., Cheyne, H., Black, M., Modi, N.... McCourt, C. (2023). Clinicians’ perspectives and experiences of providing cervical ripening at home or in-hospital in the United Kingdom. PLOS ONE, 18(5). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0284818
- Yuill, C., Kerauden, S., Murphy, R., Uddin, N. and Rocca-Ihenacho, L. (2023). Developing the Midwifery Unit Self-Assessment (MUSA) Framework: a mixed methods study in six European midwifery units. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, 35. doi:10.1016/j.srhc.2023.100819
- Rocca-Ihenacho, L., Yuill, C., Thaels, E. and Uddin, N. (2023). The Midwifery Unit Self-Assessment (MUSA) Toolkit: embedding stakeholder engagement and co-production of improvement plans in European midwifery units. Evidence & Policy, 19(1), pp. 165-176. doi:10.1332/174426421x16448363973807
- Yuill, C., Harkness, M., Wallace, C., McCourt, C., Cheyne, H. and Litosseliti, L. (2022). Inducing labour in the United Kingdom: A feminist critical discourse analysis of policy and guidance. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health, 2. doi:10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100108
- Wiseman, O., Emmett, L., Hickford, G., Knight, M., Lazar, J., Yuill, C.... McCourt, C. (2022). The challenges and opportunities for implementing group antenatal care (‘Pregnancy Circles’) as part of standard NHS maternity care: A co-designed qualitative study. Midwifery, 109, pp. 103333-103333. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2022.103333
- Harkness, M., Yuill, C., Cheyne, H., Stock, S.J. and McCourt, C. (2021). Induction of labour during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey of impact on practice in the UK. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21(1). doi:10.1186/s12884-021-03781-x
- Ball, H.L., Taylor, C.E. and Yuill, C.M. (2021). A Box to Put the Baby in: UK Parent Perceptions of Two Baby Box Programmes Promoted for Infant Sleep. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), pp. 11473-11473. doi:10.3390/ijerph182111473
- Stock, S.J., Bhide, A., Richardson, H., Black, M., Yuill, C., Harkness, M.... Norrie, J. (2021). Cervical ripening at home or in-hospital—prospective cohort study and process evaluation (CHOICE) study: a protocol. BMJ Open, 11(5), pp. e050452-e050452. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050452
- Rocca‐Ihenacho, L., Yuill, C. and McCourt, C. (2021). Relationships and trust: Two key pillars of a well‐functioning freestanding midwifery unit. Birth, 48(1), pp. 104-113. doi:10.1111/birt.12521
- Harkness, M., Yuill, C., Cheyne, H., Stock, S.J. and McCourt, C. (2021). Induction of labour during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey of impact on practice in the UK. . doi:10.1101/2021.01.27.21250521
- Yuill, C., McCourt, C., Cheyne, H. and Leister, N. (2020). Women’s experiences of decision-making and informed choice about pregnancy and birth care: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative research. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20(1). doi:10.1186/s12884-020-03023-6
- Yuill, C., McCourt, C. and Rocca-Ihenacho, L. (2020). Pop-up’ birth centers? Considering COVID-19 responses and place of birth in England. Medical Anthropology Quarterly, June(2020)
- Yuill, C. (2018). ‘Is Anthropology Legal?’ Anthropology in Action, 25(2), pp. 36-41. doi:10.3167/aia.2018.250205
- Yuill, C. (2018). Better Births at the Barkantine in East London: Celebrating ten years. Aims Journal, 30(2)
Report
- Yuill, C., Soria, J., Rocca-Ihenacho, L., Reeve-Jones, C. and McCourt, C. (2018). The Barkantine Birth Centre: Celebrating 10 years as a Community Hub. London: Barts Health NHS Trust.
Thesis/dissertation
- Yuill, C.M. Deciding where to give birth in East London: an ethnography. (PhD)