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Bev's Experience

PUBLICATIONS

                                                                                         

  • Books:10 (plus 9 translations or editions)

  • Book chapters: 47

  • Peer reviewed articles: 225   

  • Audio-visual: 6 (videos)

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CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

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  • Scientific meetings: 159

  • Invited plenary addresses: 96

  • Invited lectures:194

 

RESEARCH INTERESTS

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  • Women’s reproductive health experiences in the Nazi Era, and medical aspects of the Holocaust (2002-  ).

  • Psycho-Social, Multidisciplinary and Multicultural Aspects of Perinatal Care. (1975-  ).

  • Women’s and men’s experiences of pregnancy, birth and postpartum:  Surveys in South Africa, the Russian Federation (St Petersburg, North West Russia), Moldova, Azerbaijan, Lithuania. (1981-2009).

  • The Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey:  Co-Chair of the Maternity Experiences Study Group, Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System, Public Health Agency for Canada, responsible for a national survey of women’s experiences of pregnancy, birth and the early postpartum months. (1999-2009).

  • The Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT 1: 1995-1999; PROBIT 2: 2002-2007) in Belarus tested the effectiveness of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative in promoting breastfeeding and improving infant health.  This was the largest randomized control trial of breastfeeding ever conducted involving over 17,000 mother-baby pairs. Findings have contributed to global standards for optimal infant feeding.

  • Women’s Experiences of Birth in Canada following previous Female Genital Mutilation (1996-2003).

 

INTERNATIONAL AID ACTIVITIES

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  • Consultant, International Perinatal Aid Agencies including WHO/PAHO, UNICEF, Medicines Sans Frontieres, Save the Children, Academy for Educational Development (USA), the Norwegian Board of Health and the Ministry of Health of Moldova, Open Society Foundation. 141 Missions undertaken in 26 countries (1991-2011).

  • U of Witwatersrand Council Research Fellowship for a one year period at WHO-Euro, Copenhagen, 1991-1992. as Co-ordinator: Maternal and Child Health Unit, WHO-Euro, Copenhagen. (Aug-Dec 1991).

  • Initiating, designing, implementing and managing all aspects of the Canada-WHO-St Petersburg Maternal-Child Health Program, an educational program in St Petersburg, Russian Federation in collaboration with WHO-Euro and the City of St Petersburg. (1994-1997).

  • Planning and implementing a multidisciplinary and multinational, WHO Perinatal Task Force in the European Region: proposed and implemented ‘Principles of Perinatal Care’ for this region. (1998).

  • Development of WHO-Euro training program “Essential Antenatal, Perinatal and Post-Partum Care” that was based on clinical evidence and on principles of psycho-socially sensitive, family-centered care.   In addition to leading the multidisciplinary team that developed the course and course materials, I was involved, mostly as Team Leader, in implementing the course, and training local trainers, in many countries of the former Soviet Union. (1998-2003).

  • Master trainer for the WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative breastfeeding promotion program from its introduction into the former Soviet Union in 1992 until 2001.

  • Developed/ trained trainers: Psycho-Social Issues in Perinatal Care course, Moldova (2003/4), Armenia. (2004).

  • Developed training manual for TBAs, Southern Sudan, for UNICEF Operation Lifeline Sudan. (2001).

  • Co-founder and National President, Association for Childbirth and Parenthood of Southern Africa (1984-1992).

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