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Speciality Group webinar to focus on common conditions affecting quality of life for women
The NHS Research Scotland (NRS) Reproductive Health and Childbirth Specialty Group has announced its next quarterly webinar for February with a focus on efforts to better understand and treat two common conditions which impact quality of life.
Taking place on Wednesday 18 February from 12.00-12.55pm, the informal session – entitled ‘PEPPY Trial and The Diagnostic Journey of Uterine Adenomyosis’ – will be hosted live on Microsoft Teams.
The bitesize ‘lunch and learn’ webinar will be opened by the Specialty Group’s Champion Support Manager, Annie Ganguly, and will welcome two knowledgeable guest speakers:
• Professor Suzanne Hagen, Professor of Health Services Research, Nursing Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals (NMAHP)
• Dr Margaret Taylor, Consultant Radiographer & Sonographer – Clinical Radiology/NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme (NAAASP), NHS Tayside
Professor Hagen’s presentation is called ‘PEPPY Trial: Prolapse management: Effectiveness of PFMT plus PessarY’.
Led by Glasgow Caledonian University, the randomised controlled trial is studying the clinical and cost effectiveness of supervised pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) plus vaginal pessary compared to PFMT alone for the management of pelvic organ prolapse.
The trial – funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) – aims to recruit 552 women across the UK and compare prolapse symptoms between groups at 12 months.
Interested are invited to get involved in the PEPPY trial.
Professor Hagen received a PhD from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2006 and a personal Chair in 2009. She has worked there since 1996, directing a programme of research on pelvic health.
She is also an assistant Professor at the School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania.
Dr Taylor’s talk will be titled ‘Unseen and Unrecognised: The Diagnostic Journey of Uterine Adenomyosis in Scotland and England’.
Her talk, focusing on what she calls a “common yet underdiagnosed condition that significantly impacts women’s quality of life,” will draw on original research exploring the lived experience of the diagnostic pathways in Scotland and England.
She will discuss research which revealed “systemic barriers, fragmented pathways, and poor interprofessional collaboration” as well as sharing key findings and outline practical considerations to improve early detection, communication, and patient-centred care.
Dr Taylor recently completed a Professional Doctorate at the University of Dundee, conducting empirical research to better understand adenomyosis and the delays women face in receiving a diagnosis.
She was highly commended for the Society of Radiographers Scottish Professional of the Year Award 2025.
Both webinar segments will offer time for Q&A.
Annie said: “It is exciting to have two such knowledgeable speakers who are so dedicated to breaking down barriers to progress in treating reproductive health and childbirth issues.
“Prolapse management and Uterine Adenomyosis are both key focus areas for research, and we’re grateful to have both Professor Hagen and Dr Taylor discuss their respective findings and ambitions.
“Indeed, prolapse is thought to affect as many as one in three women at some point in their lives while adenomyosis affects around one in 10.
“We hope you can join us in February to learn more about this important research.”
The ongoing webinar series is dedicated to advancing understanding and dialogue around reproductive health, pregnancy, and childbirth through a research-focused lens with further speakers being invited to shape its topics and themes.
The speciality group is continuing to welcome submissions from researchers, clinicians, midwives, students, educators, public health professionals, and more, with its next quarterly webinar date planned to be Wednesday 17 June.
The series aims to highlight current evidence, emerging studies, and critical gaps in knowledge across topics such as fertility, maternal and foetal outcomes, respectful maternity care, perinatal mental health, postnatal recovery and much more related to this area of health care.
If you are interested in presenting your work, suggesting topics, or collaborating on future webinars, please contact Champion Support Manager, Annie Ganguly
Publication date: 27th November 2025
