Staff Profile

Research interests

My current research interests are in maternal obesity, nutrition, and bariatric surgery, and the associated pregnancy outcomes, particularly congenital anomalies.

Qualifications

PhD 2016-2022, Newcastle University - Pregnancy after bariatric surgery: Investigating perinatal outcomes and healthcare

BSc Biomedical Genetics 2013-2016, Newcastle University

Methods - evidence synthesis and epidemiology

Congenital anomaly research with NHS Digital National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service

Co-supervision of students completing research projects on the following courses: BSc Biomedical Sciences, BSc Nutrition, and MDiet Dietetics

• Akhter Z, Heslehurst N, Ceulemans D, Rankin J, Ackroyd R, Devlieger R. Pregnancy after bariatric surgery: A nested case-control study of risk factors for small for gestational age babies in aurora. Nutrients 2021, 13(5), 1699.
• Akhter Z, Rankin J, Ceulemans D, Ngongalah L, Ackroyd R, Devlieger R, Vieira R, Heslehurst N. Pregnancy after bariatric surgery and adverse perinatal outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine 2019, 16(8), e1002866.
• Heslehurst N, Vieira R, Akhter Z, Bailey H, Slack E, Ngongalah L, Pemu A, Rankin J. The association between maternal body mass index and child obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine 2019, 16, e1002817.
• Ngongalah L, Rankin J, Rapley T, Odeniyi A, Akhter Z, Heslehurst N. Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviours in African Migrant Women Living in High Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Framework Synthesis. Nutrients 2018, 10, 8.
• Akhter Z, Rankin J, Vieira R, Ngongalah L, Devlieger R, Ackroyd R, Heslehurst N. Investigating the association between pregnancy following bariatric surgery and adverse perinatal outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. In: 20th Annual Conference of the British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society (BMFMS 2018). 2018, Brighton, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.