Grads in Profile: Alix Robinson

Any mother will tell you that pregnancy can be filled with joy and excitement, anticipation and expectation.

They might also tell you that it can be a time of extreme stress and uncertainty and that the physical toll it takes on the body can be exhausting.

Imagine then, what it’s like to be pregnant, marginalized, and lack primary social, emotional and prenatal support. How can a woman who’s missing both formal and informal care for her physical and mental well-being during pregnancy manage to navigate the waters of impending motherhood with as little stress as possible?

That’s the focus of Alix Robinson’s doctoral research, as she considers the mental wellness of women of ethnic minorities who are pregnant, as well as the impact of psychosocial stress on the birth and the health of their babies.

Robinson, who was recently awarded a Vanier Scholarship to study the factors that either enhance or contribute to the deterioration of mental and physical health during pregnancy among minority status women, has worked with marginalized populations both locally and internationally.

“As an undergraduate student, I became interested in the effects of stress during pregnancy on fetal development,” she explains, “and in my Master’s degree I explored psychosocial stress as a mediator of pregnancy and birth outcomes.”

“I found that women of ethnic minority status were the most vulnerable to psychosocial stress during pregnancy and have significantly poorer pregnancy and birth outcomes than those who identify with the dominant culture.”

Robinson’s ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life of marginalized populations, particularly women and children, by using findings from her research and her position as a registered psychologist to advocate for systemic changes in primary support for marginalized populations, both locally and internationally.

And she says that the Vanier Scholarship will allow her to do just that.

“Being selected for this important award allows me to focus my time and energy on my research, says Robinson. With the extra time and resources afforded, I am able to be more involved in advocating and volunteering with marginalized populations.”