Associate Professor Hannah Dahlen

• Biography
• Areas of Research/Teaching Expertise
• Awards/Honours
• Grants/Current Projects
• Selected Publications
• Engagement Interests 
• Contact Details

Biography

Associate Professor Hannah Dahlen was appointed to the School of Nursing and Midwifery, UWS, in August 2008 to develop a program of research in midwifery that focuses on families in Greater Western Sydney and to provide leadership in the related postgraduate programs. A/Prof Dahlen’s program of research is centred on the childbearing experience, in particular, ensuring that women can start motherhood in the healthiest state. For the first six months of 2008 she was employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Royal Hospital for Women and University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). In 2007 she worked as a researcher with the Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, UTS (12 month fixed term contract). In this role Associate Professor Dahlen submitted her PhD in May 2007 and then commenced research into several studies described in greater detail below. She was also teaching midwifery students at Bachelor, Graduate Diploma and Masters level at UTS. Associate Professor Dahlen has had an extensive clinical career in midwifery and has been the Clinical Midwifery Consultant for the Sydney South Western Area Health Service (Eastern Sector) for seven years (2000-2008).

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Areas of Research/Teaching Expertise

Midwifery
Perineal and pelvic floor care
Women’s experiences of birth
Media representations in health
Maternity service policy and practice

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Awards/Honours

• 2008, Young Investigator Award, PSANZ
• 2006, National Council of Women Certificate of Achievement
• 2003, First prize for the Central Sydney Quality Improvement Poster Competition for Improving the quality of services for Moslem women, $600
• 2000, Nominated for writer of the year, by FPC for contributions to Australian Parents magazine
• 2001, Excellence in Nurse Practice Award for Education. Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
• 1997, Yakult student award, $250. For best honours research project in Bachelor of Nursing (honours)

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Grants/Current Projects

Hannah has conducted original research into methods to reduce perineal trauma and improve comfort during the second stage of labour. Her randomised controlled trial into the use of perineal warm packs in the second stage of labour confirmed its benefits for the first time. She is currently working on a study examining the relationship between maternal birth position and perineal trauma in a birth centre over ten years. Hannah has also published on first time mothers birth experiences. She is completing research into media representations of midwives, obstetricians and birth. She has been involved in two large studies examining the safety of birth centres and small maternity units (HERON funded). She is part of the multidisciplinary, multicentred BACHI consortium (Birth After Caesarean Interventions).

Current Grants

2009-2010

Project: A study of service engagement and outcomes for infants and their young mothers.
Funding body: UWS partnership grant.
Researcher: V. Schmied, C. Taylor, W. Schuiringa, M. Hudson, T. Azzopardi & H. Dahlen.

2009

Project: Birthing positions in the second stage.
Funding body: UWS Internal research grant
Researcher: Hannah Dahlen

Project: Physical activity in pregnancy: Women's perceptions, practices and influencing factors
Funding body: UWS Internal research grant
Researchers: Jane Cioffi, Virginia Schmied, Hannah Dahlen, Annie Mills, Charlene Thornton & Gregory Kolt.

2008-2009

Project: Improving the quality of midwifery care for women experiencing a normal pregnancy and birth.
Funding body: International link - University of Central Lancashrie, UK.
Researcher: Hannah Dahlen

Project: Health literacy and self management of gestational diabetes: A study among Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai and Laotian women.
Funding body: UWS CHS futures grant.
Researchers: Sansnee Jirojwong, Virginia Schmied, Jane Cioffi, Maree Johnson, Rhonda Griffiths & Hannah Dahlen.

2008

Project: Research presentation at the International Confederation of Midwives 28th Triennial Congress, Glasgow, 1-5 June, 2008.
Funding body: Nurses and Midwives Board scholarship.

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Selected Publications

Dahlen, H. (2010). Undone by fear? Deluded by trust? Midwifery, 26(2), 156-162.

Dahlen, H., Barclay, M., & Homer, C. (2010). The novice birthing: theorising first-time mothers' experiences of birth at home and in hospital in Australia. Midwifery, 26(1), 53-63.

Dahlen, H., & Homer, C. (2010). Infant feeding in the first 12 weeks following birth: comparison of patterns seen in Asian and non-Asia women in Australia. Women and Birth, 23(1), 22-28.

Dahlen, H., Homer, C., Cooke, M., Upton, A., Nunn, R., & Brodrick, B. (2009). 'Soothing the ring of fire': Australian women's and midwives' experiences of using perineal warm packs in the second stage of labour. Midwifery, 25(2), 39-48.

Smith, C., & Dahlen, H. (2009). Caring for the pregnant woman and her baby in a changing maternity service environment: the role of acupuncture. Acupuncture in Medicine, 27(3). 123-125.

Dahlen, H. (2009). The relationship between maternal birth positions and perineal outcomes in women giving birth in a birth centre over 12 years, Perinatal Society of Australia & New Zealand, 82.

Tracy, S., Dahlen, H., Tracy, M., Laws, P., & Sullivan, E. (2008). Authors reply to correspondence ‘Birth centres in Australia. A national population-based study of perinatal mortality associated with giving birth in a birth centre’. Birth, 35(1), 86.

Dahlen, H.G, Homer, C.S.E., Cooke, M., Upton, A.M., Nunn, R.A., & Brodrick, B.S. (2007). Perineal outcomes and maternal comfort related to the application of perineal warm packs in the second stage of labour. A randomised controlled trial. Birth, 34(4), 282-290. [NOTE: Birth is the highest ranking journal on the ISI Journal Citation Reports Ranking for Nursing and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Impact 2.058]

Tracy, S., Dahlen, H., Laws, P., Wang, Y.A., Tracy, M., & Sullivan, E. (2007). Birth centres in Australia. A national population-based study of perinatal mortality associated with giving birth in a birth centre. Birth, 34(3), 194-201.

Homer, C., & Dahlen, H. (2007). Obstetric-induced incontinence: A black hole of preventable morbidity? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 47, 86-90. [Impact 0.835]

Dahlen, H., Ryan, M., Homer, C., & Cooke, M. (2007). An Australian prospective cohort study of risk factors for severe perineal trauma during childbirth. Midwifery, 23(2), 196-203. [NOTE: Midwifery is the highest ranking journal on the ISI Journal Citation Reports Ranking for Midwifery. Impact 1.169.] Ranked third hottest out of 25 articles between July and September 2007.

Dahlen H. (2006). Midwifery: At the edge of history. Women and Birth, 19(1), 3-10.

Tracy, S.K., Dahlen H., Tracy M., & Sullivan E. (2006). Authors reply to correspondence 'Does size matter? A population-based study of birth in lower volume maternity hospitals for low risk women.' BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 113(5), 618. [Impact 2.126]

Tracy S., Sullivan E., Dahlen H., Black D., Wang Y., & Tracy M. (2006). Does size matter? A population-based study of birth in lower volume maternity hospitals for low risk women. BJOG, 113, 86-96.

Dahlen, H., & Ryan, M. (2001) Challenging birth rituals: To swab and drape or not? Birth Issues, 10(2), 50-52.

Dahlen, H. (1999). Sharp arguments about blunt scissors. Birth Issues, 8(2), 59-61.

Dahlen, H. (1993). Lactation mastitis. Nursing Times, 89(36), 38-40.

Keynote and international presentations (since 2000)

Invited Keynote Speaker: Australian College of Midwives Biennial Conference 'Big Bold and Beautiful', Canberra 2007.

Invited Keynote Speaker: Queensland State Midwives Conference 'Parting Waves or Parting Ways', Rockhampton 2006.

Invited Keynote Speaker: International Confederation of Midwives 'Midwifery: At the edge of History', Brisbane 2005. This presentation was published as an invited paper in the journal Women and Birth 2006.

Invited Keynote Speaker NSW Midwives Association State Midwives Conference. 'War on Terror?' Hunter Valley 2004 [Awarded best speaker of the conference].

Invited Keynote Speaker: NSW Midwives Association Annual State Conference 'With woman, with midwife, with obstetrician, with lawyer: where do we stand?' Central Coast 2001 [Awarded best speaker of the conference].

Conference publications (since 2000)

Schmied, V., Cioffi, J., Dahlen, H., Kolt, G., Duff, M., & Thornton, C. (2008). Caring for obese women: Midwives experiences and concerns. Proceedings of the Women's Hospitals Australasia Annual Conference.

Dahlen, H. (2008). Google Midwifery, Google Obstetrics, Google Birth. Conference Procedings of the International Confederation of Midwives, May.

Dahlen, H. (2005). Summary of Keynote address given at the International Confederation of Midwives. Matronas Prof. 2005; 6 (sup) no, 1. Volume 6.

Dahlen, H. (2005). The Perineal Warm pack Trial. Conference Proceedings of the International Confederation of Midwives. July. Brisbane.

Dahlen, H. (2003). Improving the quality of maternity services for Moslem Women. Conference Proceedings of the NSW State Midwives Association Annual State Conference. July. Sydney

Dahlen, H. (2002). Giving third degree tears the third degree. Conference Proceedings of the International Confederation of Midwives. April. Vienna.

Dahlen, H (2001). Giving third degree tears the third degree. Conference proceedings of the Australian College of Midwives. September. Brisbane.

Dahlen, H. (1999). Midwives welcome inquiry into childbirth. Nursing Review. August, pp 13-14

Dahlen, H. (2001). With woman, with midwife, with obstetrician, with lawyer where do we stand? Conference Proceedings of the NSW State Midwives Association Annual State Conference. August. Forest Beach.

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Engagement Interests

• Clinical consultancies and hospital reviews
• Secretary, NSW Midwives Association, 1997-ongoing
• Fellow, Australian College of Midwives, 1999-ongoing
• Member, BACI (Birth after Caesarean Section Interventions) research consortium, UTS 2007-ongoing
• Honorary Associate and Casual Academic with the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, UTS, 2005-ongoing
• Expert on Midwife Practitioner panels in NSW and Victoria
• Member, Midwifery External Advisory Committee
• Member, NSW Maternal and Perinatal committee, 2002-ongoing
• NSW Maternal and Perinatal Health Priority Taskforce, 2005-ongoing
• Member, Midwife Practice Committee (NSW Nurses and Midwives Board), 2004-ongoing
• Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics Instructor, 2001-ongoing
• Executive member, NSW Midwives Association, 1997-ongoing
• Editorial Board, Midwifery Matters, 1998-ongoing
• Editorial Board, Australian Parents magazine 2000-2008
• Panel of experts, Cosmo Pregnancy 2006-ongoing
• Member of expert group, Birth Rate Plus, NSW Health Department, 2004
• Member, Home Birth Options Working Party, NSW Health Department 2004
• Member, NSW Midwives Consultant Group 2003-ongoing
• Member, Greater Metropolitan Transition Taskforce – Maternity Services, 2003
• Member, Pregnancy and Newborn Services Network Executive committee, 2001-2006
• Member, Midwifery Reference Group committee member, NSW Nurses Association 2001-ongoing
• State Conference Sub Committee member, NSW Midwives Association, 1998-2003
• Member, NSW Education Program on Female Genital Mutilation Program: Advisory committee and professional training working party, 1998-2000 (Principle author of the childbirth section of education manual for health workers)
• Reviewer, Women and Birth
• National Media Spokesperson, Australian College of Midwives

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