Bec Jenkinson is maternity consumer advocate-turned-researcher, with more than 10 years’ experience as a leader in the Australian maternity consumer movement, advocating for high quality, respectful, women-centred continuity of care. I am a skilled qualitative and mixed methods researcher, writer, presenter and networker with a passion for consumer and community engagement in health services, and broad experience encompassing health policy, service delivery and evaluation, and education. Bec's PhD investigated the experiences of women, midwives and obstetricians when pregnant women decline recommended care. She went on to co-lead the development and implementation of Queensland Health's Guideline: Partnering with the woman who declines recommended maternity care. Bec is now a Qualitative Research Fellow with the Australian Women and Girl's Health Research Centre, working on research projects related to weight stigma in maternity care, preconception health, and women's experiences of intrapartum care.
Conference Publication: First do no harm: a single site pre-post implementation study of a perineal protection bundle
Lee, Nigel, Allen, Jyai, Jenkinson, Rebecca, Gao, Yu and Kildea, Sue (2023). First do no harm: a single site pre-post implementation study of a perineal protection bundle. Australian College of Midwives National Conference – Be the Change, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 12-14 September 2023. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.07.007
Journal Article: A pre-post implementation study of a care bundle to reduce perineal trauma in unassisted births conducted by midwives
Lee, Nigel, Allen, Jyai, Jenkinson, Bec, Hurst, Cameron, Gao, Yu and Kildea, Sue (2023). A pre-post implementation study of a care bundle to reduce perineal trauma in unassisted births conducted by midwives. Women and Birth. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.08.003
Journal Article: Listening to larger bodied women: Time for a new approach to maternity care
Griffiths, Ahlia, Kingsley, Sara, Mason, Zena, Tome, Renee, Tomkinson, Malyssa and Jenkinson, Bec (2023). Listening to larger bodied women: Time for a new approach to maternity care. Women and Birth, 36 (5), 397-400. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.07.001
(2023–2025) WHRTN Co-Production Grant
(2023–2024) Monash University
Understanding and incorporating the consumer voice in paediatric intensive care research
Doctor Philosophy
Body Positive Birth Project
Doctor Philosophy
Listening to larger bodied women: Time for a new approach to maternity care
Griffiths, Ahlia, Kingsley, Sara, Mason, Zena, Tome, Renee, Tomkinson, Malyssa and Jenkinson, Bec (2023). Listening to larger bodied women: Time for a new approach to maternity care. Women and Birth, 36 (5), 397-400. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.07.001
Keeping the canary singing: Maternity care plans and respectful homebirth transfer
Jenkinson, Bec and Fox, Deborah (2020). Keeping the canary singing: Maternity care plans and respectful homebirth transfer. Birthing Outside the System: The Canary in the Coal Mine. (pp. 320-343) edited by Hannah Dahlen, Bashi Kumar-Hazard and Virginia Schmied. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429489853-18
Lee, Nigel, Allen, Jyai, Jenkinson, Bec, Hurst, Cameron, Gao, Yu and Kildea, Sue (2023). A pre-post implementation study of a care bundle to reduce perineal trauma in unassisted births conducted by midwives. Women and Birth. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.08.003
Jenkinson, Bec, Maxwell, Jo, Bell, Alison, Young, Adrienne, Smith, Anthony C., Christoffersen, Anja, Trevor, Dale, Young, Leonie and Russell, Trevor (2023). Bringing researchers to the consumer table: the process and outcomes of a consumer roundtable on telehealth. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 1357633X231188536. doi: 10.1177/1357633x231188536
Listening to larger bodied women: Time for a new approach to maternity care
Griffiths, Ahlia, Kingsley, Sara, Mason, Zena, Tome, Renee, Tomkinson, Malyssa and Jenkinson, Bec (2023). Listening to larger bodied women: Time for a new approach to maternity care. Women and Birth, 36 (5), 397-400. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.07.001
Barnett, Belinda, Jenkinson, Bec and Lee, Nigel (2022). The impact of a perineal care bundle on women’s birth experiences in Queensland, Australia: a qualitative thematic analysis. Women and Birth, 36 (3), 271-280. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2022.09.002
Cleetus, Maryanne, Lazarou, Mattea, Tooker, Siân, Jenkinson, Bec and Dean, Judith A. (2022). Termination of pregnancy in Queensland post-decriminalisation: a content analysis of client records from an all-options pregnancy counselling organisation. Sexual Health, 19 (6), 491-500. doi: 10.1071/sh22059
Validating a scale to measure respectful maternity care in Australia: challenges and recommendations
Jenkinson, Bec, Kearney, Lauren, Kynn, Mary, Reed, Rachel, Nugent, Rachael, Toohill, Jocelyn and Bogossian, Fiona (2021). Validating a scale to measure respectful maternity care in Australia: challenges and recommendations. Midwifery, 103 103090, 103090. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2021.103090
Allen, Jyai, Jenkinson, Bec, Tracy, Sally K., Hartz, Donna L., Tracy, Mark and Kildea, Sue (2020). Women's unmet needs in early labour: qualitative analysis of free-text survey responses in the M@NGO trial of caseload midwifery. Midwifery, 88 102751, 102751. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2020.102751
Does introducing a dedicated early labour area improve birth outcomes? A pre-post intervention study
Williams, Lauren, Jenkinson, Bec, Lee, Nigel, Gao, Yu, Allen, Jyai, Morrow, Jane and Kildea, Sue (2019). Does introducing a dedicated early labour area improve birth outcomes? A pre-post intervention study. Women and Birth, 33 (3), 259-264. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2019.05.001
Refusal of recommended maternity care: Time to make a pact with women?
Jenkinson, Bec, Kruske, Sue and Kildea, Sue (2018). Refusal of recommended maternity care: Time to make a pact with women?. Women and Birth, 31 (6), 433-441. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2018.03.006
Is the Birthing Unit Design Spatial Evaluation Tool valid for diverse groups?
Menke, Sara, Jenkinson, Bec, Foureur, Maralyn and Kildea, Sue (2018). Is the Birthing Unit Design Spatial Evaluation Tool valid for diverse groups?. Women and Birth, 32 (4), 372-379. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2018.09.009
Jenkinson, Bec, Kruske, Sue and Kildea, Sue (2017). The experiences of women, midwives and obstetricians when women decline recommended maternity care: a feminist thematic analysis. Midwifery, 52, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2017.05.006
Primary Maternity Units in rural and remote Australia: Results of a national survey
Kruske, Sue, Kildea Sue, Jenkinson, Bec, Pilcher, Jennifer, Robin, Sarah, Rolfe, Margaret, Kornelsen, Jude and Barclay, Lesley (2016). Primary Maternity Units in rural and remote Australia: Results of a national survey. Midwifery, 40, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2016.05.004
Jenkinson, Bec, Kruske, Sue, Stapleton, Helen, Beckmann, Michael, Reynolds, Maree and Kildea, Sue (2016). Women's, midwives' and obstetricians' experiences of a structured process to document refusal of recommended maternity care. Women and Birth, 29 (6), 531-541. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2016.05.005
Jenkinson, Bec, Kruske, Sue, Stapleton, Helen, Beckmann, Michael, Reynolds, Maree and Kildea, Sue (2015). Maternity care plans: a retrospective review of a process aiming to support women who decline standard care. Women and Birth, 28 (4), 303-309. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2015.05.003
Maternity services and the discharge process: a review of practice in Queensland
Jenkinson, Bec, Young, Kate and Kruske, Sue (2014). Maternity services and the discharge process: a review of practice in Queensland. Women and Birth, 27 (2), 114-120. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2013.12.001
Jenkinson, Bec M., Smethurst, Joanne, Boorman, Rhonda and Creedy, Debra K. (2014). Effect of a maternity consumer representative training program on participants' confidence and engagement. Australian Health Review, 38 (3), 306-311. doi: 10.1071/AH13183
Maternity care providers' perceptions of women's autonomy and the law
Kruske, Sue, Young, Kate, Jenkinson, Bec and Catchlove, Ann (2013). Maternity care providers' perceptions of women's autonomy and the law. Bmc Pregnancy and Childbirth, 13 (1) 84, 84. doi: 10.1186/1471-2393-13-84
First do no harm: a single site pre-post implementation study of a perineal protection bundle
Lee, Nigel, Allen, Jyai, Jenkinson, Rebecca, Gao, Yu and Kildea, Sue (2023). First do no harm: a single site pre-post implementation study of a perineal protection bundle. Australian College of Midwives National Conference – Be the Change, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 12-14 September 2023. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.07.007
Co-designing resources with midwives and consumers to address weight stigma in antenatal care
Hill, B, Hailu, H, Jenkinson, B, Rakic, S, Nagpal, T, Boyle, J, Sheehan, P and Skouteris, H (2023). Co-designing resources with midwives and consumers to address weight stigma in antenatal care. Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society Annual Scientific Meeting, Adelaide, SA Australia, 18-20 October 2023.
Jenkinson, B, Christoffersen, A, Trevor, D, Anemaat, L, Bell, A and Maxwell, J (2022). Consumer involvement in health and medical research at the University of Queensland: A panel discussion. Health Consumers Queensland Annual Forum, Sunshine Coast, QLD Australia, 13-14 October 2022.
Partnering with women who decline recommended maternity care
Gray, L, Jenkinson, B. and Kimble, R (2022). Partnering with women who decline recommended maternity care. International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, Sydney, NSW Australia, 25-26 July 2022.
Partnering with women who decline recommended maternity care
Gray, L., Jenkinson, B. and Kimble, R. (2018). Partnering with women who decline recommended maternity care. International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 11-12 September 2018.
Woman’s decision pathway in pregnancy, labour, and birth
Gray, L., James, C., Jenkinson, B., Burley, K., Kimble, R. and Sketcher-Baker, K. (2018). Woman’s decision pathway in pregnancy, labour, and birth. International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 11-12 September 2018.
Jenkinson, B. (2017). The benefits of a structured documentation and communication process when pregnant women decline recommended maternity care. Obstetric Malpractice Conference, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 8 August 2017.
Jenkinson, B. (2017). Using the master’s tools to dismantle the master’s house: Refusal of recommended maternity care in a tertiary hospital. Passage to Motherhood Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 10-13 May 2017.
Supporting women’s autonomy: Lessons from one tertiary hospital
Jenkinson, B. (2016). Supporting women’s autonomy: Lessons from one tertiary hospital. International Normal Labour and Birth Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 10-13 October 2016.
The line in the sand: Feminist perspectives on refusal of recommended maternity care
Jenkinson, B. (2016). The line in the sand: Feminist perspectives on refusal of recommended maternity care. 8th International Biennial Conference of the Australian Motherhood Initiative for Research and Community Involvement, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 13-16 July 2016.
When 'no' means 'no': Supporting women's rights to informed consent and refusal
Jenkinson, Bec (2015). When 'no' means 'no': Supporting women's rights to informed consent and refusal. Australian College of the Midwives National 19th Biennial Conference, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 5-8 October 2015. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2015.07.072
Maternity care providers’ perceptions of women’s autonomy and the law
Kruske, S, Young, K, Jenkinson, B and Catchlove, A (2013). Maternity care providers’ perceptions of women’s autonomy and the law. Australian Association of Bioethics and Health Law Conference: Pivotal Moments/Future Horizons - Continuity and Change in Australian Bioethics, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 11 - 14 July 2013.
Getting the ‘Comfortable’ to listen: a mixed methods study of refusal of recommended maternity care
Jenkinson, Rebecca (2018). Getting the ‘Comfortable’ to listen: a mixed methods study of refusal of recommended maternity care. PhD Thesis, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2018.188
BirthSpace: an evidence-based guide to birth environment design
Jenkinson, Bec, Josey, Natalie and Kruske, Sue (2014). BirthSpace: an evidence-based guide to birth environment design. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Queensland Centre for Mothers & Babies, The University of Queensland.
(2023–2025) WHRTN Co-Production Grant
(2023–2024) Monash University
Understanding and incorporating the consumer voice in paediatric intensive care research
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Body Positive Birth Project
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors: