Soo Downe
Soo spe
nt 15 years working as a clinical and research midwife. In 2001 she joined the UK University of Central Lancashire, (UCLan) where she is now the Professor of Midwifery Studies. Her main research focus is the nature of, and cultures around, normal birth. She has Chaired two EU COST networks over an 8 year period including 33 countries and over 120 scientists, professionals, academics, policy makers, artists, and service users from a wide range of disciplines. She has lead or been a co-investigator on a wide range of funded maternity projects, with a total income of around £7 million. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the International MotherBaby Childbirth Organisation, and of the Global Respectful Maternity Care Council of the White Ribbon Alliance. She was a member of the lead author group for the Lancet Midwifery Series (2014); an author on and Advisory Group member for the Lancet Stillbirth Series (2016); and a co-author on the Lancet Reducing Caesarean Section Series (2018). She has been a member of the Technical Working Group of the World Health Organization antenatal, intrapartum, postnatal, uterotonics, and optimising caesarean section guidelines. She has published over 150 peer reviewed papers, and has undertaken research using a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods. She is a member of the NHS England Better Births national Stakeholder group. She was the founder of the International Normal Birth Research Conference Series. She has been involved in a range of projects with the Fernandez Foundation and the University of Hyderabad in India, as well as with the BBN NGO in Bangalore.
