Suicide is defined as a ‘direct cause’ of maternal death while pregnant or within 1 year post partum.1 Maternal suicide has been identified as a leading cause of maternal mortality in high-income countries including, for example, the Netherlands, where the study2 was conducted, the UK3 and France.4...

This article on realist reviews is the second in a four-part series on realist research.1–3 Evidence synthesis involves collating published research to address specific research questions,4 commonly centred around identifying what works for an average person within a population of interest.5 Systematic reviews are thought of as the universal gold standard in conducting evidence synthesis.5 6 However, when it comes to understanding intervention effectiveness, complementary knowledge is needed addressing why some interventions work and others do not, among whom they work best and in what contexts.3 In answering such questions, a different approach to systematic review methodology is required.

Realist reviews (or realist evidence syntheses) are a theory-building, interpretative approach to evidence synthesis. Realist reviews aim to go beyond seeking whether interventions work (ie, are effective), to generating explanations as to...

This article is the first in a series exploring realist research, a methodological approach well suited to the complexity of nursing practice. Unlike traditional approaches such as randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews, which focus on whether interventions work, realist research examines how and why interventions work when implemented in specific groups; reflecting the individualised care nurses provide. By introducing the key concepts of realist research, this article highlights its relevance to nursing and lays the groundwork for using realist research to drive meaningful improvements in healthcare.