Associate Professor Hannah Dahlen

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

Biography

Research outputs

Associate Professor Hannah Dahlen is a leading midwifery researcher in Australia. Her research interests fall under two major themes: 1. Keeping birth normal, which includes research into birth positions, perineal comfort and trauma during second stage, birth experiences of first time mothers at home and in hospital, use of NSW and National perinatal data to look at maternal and perinatal outcomes in different models of care and place of birth, physical activity and obesity from the perspective of women and health professionals, and vaginal birth after caesarean; and 2. Health service/policy development, which include three recent publications (online 2010) regarding the submissions to the National Maternity Services Review around homebirth, birth centres and freebirth, the development of a midwifery initiated oral health service for pregnant women, service engagement and outcomes for infants and their young mothers, analysis of media depictions of midwives obstetricians and birth and the use of doulas in the health service.

She has strong national and international research partnerships. She has received seven grants since 2000 and is part of the international COST EU team that received 400,000 Euros in 2009.

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Publications

She has published more than 35 papers in peer reviewed journals (55% A, A* journals) with 30 published since 2006. She has published in international journals such as BJOG, Midwifery (UK), Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health (US), Journal of Obstetric, Gynecological & Neonatal Nursing and Birth (US) (the leading international journals for the discipline). She has a published book chapter and two other book chapters in press (see publications).

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 Contribution to discipline or area

Associate Professor Dahlen’s research has made a significant contribution to maternity services development in Australia and internationally. Her work with Professor Sally Tracy into the safety of small units in Australia and birth centre care have led to changes in policy and been cited in major maternity planning documents and influenced decision making. She was part of the recent Towards Normal Birth working group that produced the maternity service plan for NSW in 2010. Professor Dahlen’s research into perineal care led to international recognition and adoption of practices such as perineal warm packs into second stage management. Her work in perineal care led to her authoring the chapter on perineal care for the Australian/New Zealand textbook used by all midwifery students. 

She sits on the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Childbirth and Women and Birth and peer reviews articles for several journals on a regular basis. She is also part of the medical panel for Crikey.com and writes regularly for Croaky.com.

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Other research-related achievements

International contribution and links

Associate Professor Dahlen has an international reputation as a midwifery scholar. She is a co-investigator on the European Union Grant European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST) Action Project being led from the University of Central Lancashire Childbirth Cultures, Concerns, and Consequences: Creating A Dynamic EU Framework For Optimal Maternity Care.

 Associate Professor Dahlen has given papers at over 70 conferences since 2000. She was invited to give the keynote address at over half of these. In 2005 she gave the keynote address at the International Confederation of Midwives Triennial conference. She has been asked to present the keynote address in 2011 in the USA at the American Nurse Midwives Annual Conference on her research into birth positions. This research was an international collaboration.

She received the Young Investigator Award at the 2008 Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand conference for her randomised controlled trial into perineal care. In 2008 she was nominated as a life member of the NSW Midwives Association for outstanding contributions to the profession of Midwifery. In 2006 she was a nominee for National Council of Women awards. In 2003 she was awarded first prize for the Central Sydney Quality Improvement Poster Competition for improving the quality of services for Moslem women. In 2001 FPC nominated her for writer of the year for contributions to the commercial parenting magazine, Australian Parents magazine.

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Supervising and mentoring roles

Professor Dahlen currently supervises 8 higher degree students (2 Masters Honours and 6 PhD).

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Provision of influential advice to health authorities and government

Associate Professor Dahlen was part of the NHMRC committee producing the recently released National Guidance on Collaborative Maternity Care (2010). This document will be fundamental in shaping collaboration between health professionals in maternity care. Associate Professor Dahlen has been a member of the NSW Health Department’s, Maternal and Perinatal Health Priority Taskforce since 2005. This is the peak committee advising the NSW government and the Minster on maternity services provision. She has also been a member of the NSW Maternal and Perinatal Committee since 2002. This committee reviews all the maternal deaths in NSW. She was an invited member to a Roundtable meeting as part of the National Maternity Services Review in 2008 and was an expert witness as part of the Senate Inquiry into the provisions of the Health Legislation Amendment (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill 2009.

Associate Professor Dahlen has also had input into the development of the National Maternity Services Plan at a NSW State and National level. She is also part of the Clinical Privileging for Midwives in NSW Committee. She has been asked to be the Clinical Lead for Midwifery in the National Training Plan being undertaken by Health Workforce Australia. She has also provided technical advice to government in relation to maternity services reviews for government or health authorities in NSW (Goulburn and Armidale, Blue Mountains Hospitals), WA (King Edward Inquiry) and ACT (Canberra Midwifery Program).

Associate Professor Dahlen was part of the team successfully tendering to write the curriculum development modules for the AMIHS Training and Support Unit (NSW Health) (2010). This will be used to train AMIHS workers across the state.

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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

2011

Smith, C., Dahlen, H., & Schmied, V. (2011). Moxibustion for cephalic version: A feasibility randomised controlled trial. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 11(81).

George, A., Johnson, M., Dahlen, H., Bhole, S., Blinkhorn, A., & Ellis S. (2011). New role for midwives promoting dental health. Australian Nursing Journal, 18(1), 37-37. ors id: 221556.

Burns, E., Fenwick, J., Schmied, V., & Sheehan, A. (2011). Reflexivity in midwifery research: the insider/outsider debate, Midwifery.

Dahlen, H. G., Jackson, M., & Stevens, J. (2011). Homebirth, freebirth and doulas: Casualty and consequences of a broken maternity system. Women and Birth, 24(1), 47-50.

2010

Schmied, V., Duff, M., Dahlen, H., Mills, A., & Kolt G. (2010). 'Not waving but drowning': A study of the experiences and concerns of midwives and other health professionals caring for obese childbearing women. Midwifery, 1-7.

Dahlen, H., Schmied, V., Tracy. S., Jackson, M., Cummings, J. & Priddis., H. Home birth and the National Australian Maternity Services Review: Too Hot to Handle? (Online in Women and Birth).

Dahlen, H., Jackson, M., Schmied, V., Tracy, S.& Priddis, H. Birth Centres and the National Maternity Services Review: Response to consumer demand or compromise? (Online in Women and Birth)

Catling-Paull. C., Homer. C. & Dahlen. H. Multiparous women’s confidence to have a publicly funded homebirth: a qualitative study (Online in Women and Birth)

Dahlen, H.G., Homer, C. S E., Leap, N. and Tracy. S.K. From social to surgical: historical perspectives on perineal care during labour and birth. (Online in Women and Birth)

Stevens, J., Dahlen, H., Peters. & Jackson, D. Midwives' and Doulas' Perspectives of the Role of the Doula in Australia: A Qualitative Study. (Online in Midwifery March 2010)

Dahlen, H., Homer, C., Tracy, M., & Bisits, A. (2010). Letter to the editor re Kennare RM, Keirse MJNC, Tucker GR, Chan AC. Planned home and hospital births in South Australia, 1991–2006: differences in outcomes. Med J Aust 2010; 192: 76-80. Medical Journal of Australia.

Schmied, V., Duff, M. Dahlen, H., Mills, A. & Kolt, G. (2010).Not waving but drowning: A study of the experiences and concerns of midwives and other health professionals caring for obese childbearing women. Online Midwifery 8-APR-2010 DOI information: 10.1016/j.midw.2010.02.010.

Cioffi, J., Schmied, V., Dahlen, H., Mills, A., Thornton, C. Duff, M., Cummings, J. & Kolt, G. (2010). Physical Activity in Pregnancy: Women’s perceptions, practices and influencing factors. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 55: 455-461.

Dahlen, H. Undone by fear? Deluded by trust? (2010). Midwifery 10.1016/j.midw.2009.11.008.

Dahlen, H.G, Barclay, L. & Homer, C.S.E. (2010). Processing the first birth: Journeying into motherland. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 19, 1977-1985 1977. doi:> 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2009.03089

Dahlen, H.G., Homer, C.S.E. (2010). Infant feeding decisions in the first 12 weeks following birth: A comparison of the experiences of women from Asian and non-Asian backgrounds in Australia. Women and Birth 23:(1), 22-28.

Dahlen, H.G., Barclay, L. & Homer, C.S.E. (2010). ‘Reacting to the unknown’:  Experiencing the first birth at home or in hospital in Australia. Midwifery. 26(4), 415-23.

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

2009

Smith, C., Dahlen, H. Caring for the pregnant women and her baby in a changing maternity service environment: the role of acupuncture. (2009). Acupunct Med. 27:1, 123-125

Tracy, S., Welsh, A., Dahlen, H., & Tracy, M. (2009). Letter to the Editor re Robson SJ, Laws P, Sullivan EA. Adverse outcomes of labour in public and private hospitals in Australia: a population-based descriptive study. Med J Aust 2009; 190: 474-477. Medical Journal of Australia, 191(10), 579-580.

2008

Dahlen, H.G., Barclay, L. & Homer, C.S.E. (2008). Preparing for the First Birth: Mothers’ Experiences at Home and in Hospital in Australia. The Journal of Perinatal Education. 17(4): 21-23. DOI: 10.1624/105812408X364143.

Dahlen, H.G., Homer, C.S.E. (2008). Perineal trauma and postpartum perineal morbidity in Asian and non-Asian primiparous women. JOGNN. 37: 455-463

George, A. & Johnson, M. Ellis, S. Dahlen, H., Blinkhorn, A., Bhole, S. & Ajwani, S. (2010) Promoting dental health in pregnant women: A new role for midwives in Australia. Australian Nursing Journal, 18(1), 37.

Dahlen, H.G., Homer, C.S.E. (2008). What are the views of Australian midwives in relation to perineal repair? Women and Birth. 21: 27-35.

Dahlen, H. G., Homer, C. S. E., Cooke, M., Upton, A. M., Nunn, R. A., Brodrick, B. S.  (2008). ‘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

Tracy, S., Dahlen, H.,Tracy, M., Laws, P., & Sullivan, E. (2008). Response to letters re 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. Birth 35(1), 86.

2007

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.

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.

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.

2006

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

Tracy, S.K., Dahlen H., Tracy M. and 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 ;113 (5):618

Tracy S., Sullivan E., Dahlen H., Black D., Wang Y., Tracy M. (2006). Does size matters? A population-based study of birth in lower volume maternity hospitals for low risk women. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 113:86-96

2001

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

1999

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

1993

Dahlen, H. (1993). Lactation mastitis. Nursing Times (September 8th), 89(36).

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].

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Book Chapters

Dahlen, H. (2010). Perineal care and repair. In Pairman, S. Tracy, S., Thoroughgood, C. Midwifery Preparation for Practice 2e (2^nd Ed). Churchill Livingstone ELSEVIER. Sydney

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Peer Reviewed Conference Publications

Dahlen, H., Schmied, V., Downe, S., Tracy, S., Dowling, H., Upton, A., Swain, J. Jackson, M., Priddis, H. & de Jonge, A. (2010). Facilitating physiological birth positioning in three different birth settings: An exploration into facilitators and inhibitors. PSANZ. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 46 (Suppl.1) 57-96.

Schmied, V. Duff., M., Dahlen.H., Mills., A. & Kolt, G. (2010). Drowning not waving: A study of the experiences and concerns of midwives and other health professionals caring for obese childbearing women. PSANZ. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 46 (Suppl.1) 7-55.

Laws, P., Lim, C., Tracy,S., Dahlen, H. & Sullivan, E. (2010). Changes to booking, transfer criteria and procedures in birth centres in Australia from 1997 to 2007: A national survey. PSANZ. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 46 (Suppl.1) 57-96.

Dahlen, H. (2009). The relationship between maternal birth positions and perineal outcomes in women giving birth in a birth centre over 12 years. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health (Suppl 1.) 45:1 A82

Dahlen, H. (2008). Perineal warm packs: Old wives tales or evidence based practice? Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

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Community Engagement

Associate Professor Dahlen has an extensive, 21 year clinical career in midwifery and is part of a midwifery group practice that provides continuity of care at home, birth centre or hospital for women during pregnancy, birth and up to six weeks postnatal. This enables her to keep her clinical skills current and relevant. She is an Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics Course (ALSO) instructor as well as a Fetal, Obstetric and Neonatal Trainer (FONT). She teaches perineal repair to midwives and has recently written the chapter on perineal care for the midwifery textbook Midwifery Preparation for Practice (2010). She has written over 200 articles for parenting and midwifery magazines. She is an expert advisor for several parenting magazines and websites and answers questions about childbirth and midwifery nationally and internationally. She has been interviewed over 200 times on TV, radio and in the print media. She has a strong profile in the Australian College of Midwives. She is the immediate past National President of the Australian College of Midwives.  She is the national media spokesperson for the Australian College of Midwives. She was the Secretary of the NSW Branch of the ACM for 12 years (1997-2009) and is currently an executive member of NSW ACM. She is a Fellow and life member of the Australian College of Midwives.

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