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Dr. Francesca Wuytack
Visiting Research Fellow, School of Nursing & Midwifery

Biography

Dr Francesca Wuytack is a Research Fellow in epidemiology on the Maternal health And Maternal Morbidities in Ireland (MAMMI) study. Dr Wuytack holds a PhD from Trinity College Dublin and a Master of Chiropractic from the Anglo- European College of Chiropractic (UK). She is also a previous Health Research Board Cochrane Fellow (2013-2015) and worked as a Research Fellow for the COMET (Core Outcome Measures for Effectiveness Trials) in 2015. She was Clinical Research Associate for the Health Research Board - Trial Methodology Research Network in Ireland, conducting systematic reviews to inform national clinical guidelines in 2016-2017. Dr Wuytack serves as a peer reviewer for several international journals and has presented her research at many conferences globally, including as keynote speaker at the World Congress of Low Back & Pelvic Girdle Pain. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors and was appointed secretary of the World Spine Care Research Committee in February 2017.

Publications and Further Research Outputs

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Wuytack F, Moran P, Daly D, Panda S, Hannon K, Cusack C, Donovan M, A systematic review of utility-based and disease-specific quality of life measurement instruments for women with urinary incontinence, Neurourology and Urodynamics, 2021, p1 - 29 Journal Article, 2021 DOI

Doyle C., Sheerin F., Eustace Cook J., Wuytack F. , A Systematic Review of Medication Management in Intellectual Disability Settings , Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2020 , Trinity College, Dublin, 5th March, 2020 Oral Presentation, 2020

Daly D., Wuytack F., Moran P., Begley. C. , Co-producing maternal health research with women - the MAMMI study processes. , SPHeRE (Structured Population and Health services Research Education) conference, Dublin, Ireland, January 2018, 2018 Conference Paper, 2018

Wuytack F, Daly D, Curtis E, Begley C, Prognostic factors for pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain, a systematic review, Midwifery, 66, 2018, p70 - 78 Journal Article, 2018 TARA - Full Text DOI

Daly D, Wuytack F, Moran P, Begley C, Co-conducting maternal health research with women - developing the MAMMI study processes, Thinking Participatively Research Conference, Edmonton, Canada, 21 June, 2018 Oral Presentation, 2018 URL

, Sexual transmission of Hepatitis C Virus infection in a heterosexual population: A systematic review [version 1; referees: awaiting peer review] , HRB Open Research, 2018 Journal Article, 2018

Wuytack, F., Lutje, V., Tohme, R., Jakobsen, J.C., Weiss, K.H, Flanagan, P., Smith, V., Gethin, G., Murphy, L., Smyth, S., Devane, D., Sexual transmission of Hepatitis C Virus infection in a heterosexual population, a systematic review, Ireland, 2017 Report, 2017 URL

Wuytack F., Daly D., Curtis E., Begley C. , The impact of Body Mass Index on Pregnancy-related Pelvic Girdle Pain in nulliparous women in Ireland. , World Federation of Chiropractic Conference , Washington, March 2017, 2017 Conference Paper, 2017

Wuytack F., Daly D., Curtis E., Begley C. , Prognostic factors for Pregnancy-related Pelvic Girdle Pain in first-time mothers in Ireland, Eurospine conference, Dublin, October 2017, 2017 Conference Paper, 2017

Wuytack F., Daly D., Curtis E., Begley C. , Risk factors for pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain, a systematic review. , World Confederation of Physical Therapy Congress , July 2017, 2017 Conference Paper, 2017

Wuytack F., Devane D., Stovold E., McDonnell M., Casey M., McDonnell T., Gillespie P., Raymakers A., Lacasse Y., McCarthy B. , The setting of pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a systematic review and meta-analysis. , World Confederation of Physical Therapy Congress , Cape Town, July 2017, 2017 Poster, 2017

Wuytack, F., Devane, D., Conway, A., McDonnell, M.J., McDonnell, T., McCarthy, B., Guidelines for the management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a systematic search, screening and quality assessment, as part of the ADAPTE process, Ireland, 2017 Report, 2017

Wuytack, F., Devane, D., Stovold, E., McDonnell, M.J., Casey, M., McDonnell, T., Gillespie, P., Raymakers, A., Lacasse, Y., McCarthy, B. , The setting of pulmonary rehabilitation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a systematic review, Ireland, 2017 Report, 2017

Wuytack F, Meskell P, Conway A, McDaid F, Santesso N, Hickey FG, Gillespie P, Raymakers AJN, Smith V, Devane D. , The effectiveness of physiologically based early warning or track and trigger systems after triage in adult patients presenting to emergency departments: a systematic review, BMC Emergency Medicine, 17, (38), 2017, p1 - 11 Journal Article, 2017 DOI TARA - Full Text

Wuytack F, Devane D, Stovold E, McDonnell M, Casey M, McDonnell TJ, Gillespie P, Raymakers A, Lacasse Y, McCarthy B., Comparison of outpatient and home-based exercise training programmes for COPD: A systematic review and meta-analysis., Respirology (Carlton, Vic.), 2017 Journal Article, 2017 DOI

Wuytack F., Curtis E., Begley C. , The impact of persistent pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain - Women's perspectives. - keynote., World Congress of Low Back & Pelvic Girdle Pain , Singapore, October 2016, 2016 Conference Paper, 2016

Wuytack F, Smith V, Cleary BJ. , Oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (single dose) for perineal pain in the early postpartum period, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1, (7), 2016 Journal Article, 2016 DOI

Wuytack F, Smith V, Cleary B. , Oral NSAIDs for perineal pain in the early postpartum period: a systematic review, Minding Mothers with Morbidities Conference, , Trinity College Dublin, 3 Nov 2016, 2016 Conference Paper, 2016

Wuytack F, Meskell P, Conway A, McDaid F, Santesso N, Hickey F, Gillespie P, Smith V, Devane D, Clinical and cost-effectiveness of physiologically based early warning or track and trigger or scoring systems after triage in adult patients presenting to emergency departments: A systematic review., 1, HSE/NCEC, HSE/NCEC, 2016 Report, 2016

Wuytack Francesca, Curtis Elizabeth & Begley Cecily, Experiences of First-Time Mothers with Persistent Pelvic Girdle Pain after Childbirth: Descriptive Qualitative Study , Physical Therapy, 95, (10), 2015, p1354 - 1364 Journal Article, 2015

Wuytack F, Smith V, Clarke M, Williamson P, Gargon E., Towards core outcome set (COS) development: a follow-up descriptive survey of outcomes in Cochrane reviews, Systematic Reviews, 4, (73), 2015, p1-9 Journal Article, 2015 DOI

Wuytack F, Curtis E, Begley C, The health-seeking behaviours of first-time mothers with persistent pelvic girdle pain after childbirth in Ireland: a descriptive qualitative study, Midwifery, 31, 2015, p1104 - 1109 Journal Article, 2015 TARA - Full Text

Wuytack F., Curtis E., Begley C. , The health-seeking behaviours of first-time mothers with persistent pelvic girdle pain after childbirth in Ireland: A descriptive qualitative study. , Health Research Interdisciplinary Conference , Dublin, November 2015, 2015 Conference Paper, 2015

Wuytack F, Daly D, Curtis E and Begley C, Pain, disability and health-seeking behaviour of primiparous women with persistent Pelvic Girdle Pain 9 months postpartum in Ireland, World Federation of Chiropractic's 13th Biennial Congress, incorporating the 2015 Annual Convention of the European Chiropractors' Union, Athens, Greece, 13-16 May, 2015 Poster, 2015 URL

Wuytack F, Daly D, Curtis E, Begley C., Somatic pain before, during and after pregnancy in primiparous women in Ireland: a longitudinal, cohort study', OPTIMISE2014 Conference: Optimising Childbirth across Europe: An interdisciplinary maternity care conference., Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, 9th & 10th April , 2014, pp173 - 174 Meeting Abstract, 2014 TARA - Full Text

Wuytack F., Elden. H. , Pregnancy-related Pelvic Girdle Pain: Core Outcomes in practice and research. , Optimising Childbirth across Europe - COST IS0907 Conference , Brussels , April 2014, 2014 Conference Paper, 2014

Wuytack F., Smith V., Clarke M. , Towards Core outcome sets (COS) development: A follow-up survey of outcomes in Cochrane reviews. , COMET meeting IV , Rome, October 2014, 2014 Poster, 2014

Wuytack F., Daly D., Curtis E., Begley C. , Pelvic Girdle Pain during pregnancy and the psychological wellbeing of primiparous women in Ireland. , European Chiropractic Union Convention, Dublin, May 2014, 2014 Conference Paper, 2014

Wuytack F. Daly D. Curtis E. & Begley C. , Sociodemographic, Physical and Psychological Risk and Prognostic Factors for Pregnancey-related Lumbopelvic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis , Student Colloquium, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin , Dublin, Ireland, 5th November , edited by Colloquium Team , 2013 Meeting Abstract, 2013

Wuytack F., Daly D., Curtis E., Begley C. , Pelvic Girdle Pain in primiparous women in Ireland before and in early pregnancy. , Health Research Interdisciplinary Conference , Dublin, November 2013, 2013 Conference Paper, 2013

Wuytack F., Daly D., Curtis E., Begley C. , Sociodemographic, physical and psychosocial risk and prognostic factors for Pregnancy-Related Lumbopelvic Pain: a systematic review & meta-analysis., Doctoral Colloquium , Trinity College Dublin, November 2013, 2013 Conference Paper, 2013

Wuytack F, Miller P., The lived experience of fibromyalgia in female patients, a phenomenological study., Chiropractic & manual therapies, 19, (1), 2011, p22 Journal Article, 2011 DOI

Wuytack, F., Miller, P, The lived experience of fibromyalgia in female patients, a phenomenological study., European Chiropractic Union Convention, Amsterdam, May 2011, 2011 Conference Paper, 2011

Wuytack, F., Miller, P., The lived experience of fibromyalgia in female patients, a phenomenological study., Chiropractic, Osteopathy & Physiotherapy Conference , Bournemouth, 2010 Conference Paper, 2010

Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications

Daly D, Cusack C, Wuytack F, Moran P, Hannon S, Hannon K, Bowman S, Begley C and co-creators McEvoy E, Donaldson N, McLoughlin M, Martin Y, Cox B, Nordwind M, A suite of resources on women's health after motherhood, Rotunda GP Educational Study Evening, Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, 22nd October, 2020, Rotunda Hospital Invited Talk, 2020 URL URL URL

Daly D and McLoughlin M, Wuytack F, Moran P, Bowman S, Cusack C, Hannon S, Hannon K, Begley C and co-creators McEvoy E, Donaldson N, Martin Y, Cox B and Nordwind M, Translating maternal health research into maternal health resources, All Ireland Maternity and Midwifery Festival 2020, Croke Park, Dublin, 11 February, 2020 Invited Talk, 2020 URL

Daly D, Wuytack F, Moran P, Bowman S, Cusack C, Hannon S, Hannon K and MAMMI study participants McEvoy E, Donaldson N, McLoughlin M, Martin Y, Cox B, Nordwind M, Co-creating MESSAGES, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Discover Programme Partnership meeting, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dublin, 11 February, 2020 Invited Talk, 2020

Fintan Sheerin, Carmel Doyle, Jessica Eustace-Cook, Francesca Wuytack, 'A systematic literature review of medicines management in intellectual disability services.', PROSPERO , 2018, - Protocol or guideline, 2018 URL

Wuytack F., Daly D., The MAMMI study, International Week, University College Leuven Limburg, 7 March, 2018 Invited Talk, 2018

Wuytack Francesca, Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain in nulliparous women in Ireland: a longitudinal mixed methods study, Trinity College Dublin, 2016 Thesis, 2016

Research Expertise

Description

Pelvic girdle pain; low back pain; musculoskeletal epidemiology; maternal health; systematic reviews; outcome measurement

Projects

  • Title
    • Public Involvement in Research Initiative (with the MAMMI study participants)
  • Summary
    • Aim: to establish a public involvement in research initiative with MAMMI study participants. This will be achieved by: (i) hosting quarterly meetings/focus group discussions with women, MAMMI study participants; (ii) involving women in the development and review of the MAMMI 5-year follow-up study survey and documents; (iii) identifying, and prioritising, MAMMI study-related research that women wish to be conducted (on topics not covered in the MAMMI follow-up study) and in planning future studies on an ongoing basis; (iv) conducting 1-2 qualitative sub-studies on the topics chosen by women, and (v) presenting the study methods, and the public involvement initiative, at 1-2 conferences in 2018, ideally with a woman co-presenting with the researcher.
  • Funding Agency
    • Health Service Executive (HSE)
  • Date From
    • 01/2018
  • Date To
    • 12/2018
  • Title
    • MAMMI-SIM study: Maternal health And Maternal Morbidity in Ireland - Second baby survey, Intervention for urinary incontinence, Measurement of costs
  • Summary
    • The overall aim of the MAMMI-SIM study is to build and attract capacity into the area of maternal health and health-services research at postdoctoral level in Ireland. In the first phases of the MAMMI study (Maternal health And Maternal Morbidity in Ireland), 3,041 nulliparous women were recruited from three maternity hospitals in Ireland. Participants completed/are completing surveys about their health and health problems, if any, they experienced before and during pregnancy, and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months postpartum. The MAMMI-SIM is a follow-up study with these women that involves: (i) Second baby survey; (ii) Intervention for women with urinary incontinence, and (iii) Measuring costs of morbidity to women and services. It will tell us what health problems resolve, persist or get worse after the birth of the second baby, what health services women use, what can be done to resolve some problems such as urinary incontinence, and the costs of these services for women and the health service.
  • Funding Agency
    • Health Research Board
  • Date From
    • 05/2017
  • Date To
    • 05/2020
  • Title
    • Maternal health and maternal morbidity in Ireland - Pelvic Girdle Pain strand
  • Summary
    • The Pregnancy-related Pelvic Girdle Pain Strand was a Mixed Methods study examined (1) the prevalence of, and risk and prognostic factors for PPGP in first-time mothers in Ireland, and (2) explored the experiences and health-seeking behaviours of mothers with persistent PPGP postpartum.
  • Funding Agency
    • Trinity College Dublin
  • Date From
    • 09/2012
  • Date To
    • 03/2016
  • Title
    • The development of a core outcome set for pelvic girdle pain, including methods for measuring the outcomes: The PGP-COS study.
  • Summary
    • This project aims to develop a consensus-based PGP-COS (including methods for measuring the outcomes) for use in clinical trials and practice, with an ultimate aim to globally promote the health of people with PGP by consistent and relevant outcome measurement and reporting. This COS has been registered and ethical approval has been granted. The PGP-COS will be developed using a systematic review, patient interviews, a 3-round Delphi survey, systematic reviews of outcome measurement instruments, and a consensus meeting.
  • Funding Agency
    • European Centre for Chiropractic Research Excellence, and Belgian Chiropractic Union Research Fund
  • Date From
    • 09/2017
  • Date To
    • 08/2019
  • Title
    • Quality of life in pregnant and postpartum women with urinary incontinence: a systematic review, feasibility study, and mapping of standards of care.
  • Summary
    • Urinary incontinence (UI) affects one-third of women during pregnancy, half of women at three months postpartum, and impacts negatively on women's quality of life. The proposed project will identify one generic and one urinary incontinence-specific quality of life measurement instrument through a systematic review of the literature, test the feasibility and validity of the instruments in pregnant and postpartum women, and survey all 19 maternity hospitals and services in Ireland to benchmark the provision of services, care and interventions for preventing and treating UI.
  • Funding Agency
    • Trinity College Dublin - Faculty of Health Sciences
  • Date From
    • 04/2018
  • Date To
    • 03/2019
  • Title
    • Medication Management in Intellectual Disability Settings, a Systematic Review
  • Funding Agency
    • Heath Service Execute Ireland
  • Date From
    • 03/2018
  • Date To
    • 07/2018

Keywords

EPIDEMIOLOGY; LOW BACK PAIN; Maternal health and maternal morbidity ; Musculoskeletal disorder; Pelvic Girdle Pain; Systematic reviews and meta analyses

Recognition

Representations

Reviewer for Cochrane protocols and reviews. 2016 to date

Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors (UK). Jun 2017 to date

Associate member of the Chiropractic Association of Ireland. August 2017 to date

Secretary of the World Spine Care Research Committee. Feb 2017 to date

Scientific committee member Minding Mothers with Morbidities Conference (Ireland) Nov 2016

Member of COST action network IS0907: Childbirth Cultures, Concerns, and Consequences: Creating a dynamic EU framework for optimal maternity care. 2013 to 2014

Member of the Maternity Care Research Committee. School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity College Dublin (Ireland). 2012 to date

Executive committee member of the Graduate Student Union of Trinity College Dublin: Faculty of Health Sciences Representative. 2012 to 2013

Postgraduate student representative on the Research Committee and School Executive Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin (Ireland). 2012 to 2015

Awards and Honours

Included on the Dean of Students' Roll of Honour 2013

Outstanding Academic Student Award Master of Chiropractic. Anglo-European College of Chiropractic - Bournemouth University (UK). Awarded to the student with the best profile of marks. 2011

Runner up for the British Council's International Students Awards: SHINE. This competition celebrates the achievements of international students in the UK. 24 runner ups were selected from 1200 entries from 118 nationalities. 2011

GO Ambassador award of 2006 graduates, Koninklijk Atheneum Zelzate (Belgium). 2006

Memberships

Associate member of the Chiropractic Association of Ireland August 2017 – current

Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors (UK) June 2017 – current