Rate My Professor Helen McLachlan

Professor Helen McLachlan (RN, RM, MNUrs, PhD) serves as Professor and Discipline Lead for Midwifery, as well as Head of the Department of Midwifery, in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at La Trobe University. She is a Registered Nurse and Midwife with a Bachelor of Nursing, Master of Nursing, and PhD in nursing and midwifery. Holding extensive experience in undergraduate and postgraduate midwifery education and higher degree by research supervision, she leads the midwifery discipline within a school enrolling over 4000 students. Affiliated with the Judith Lumley Centre at La Trobe University, Professor McLachlan conducts research focused on mother and infant health and maternity services.

Recognized as a national and international leader in maternity care research, Professor McLachlan's academic interests include innovative models of midwifery care such as caseload and continuity of midwifery care, particularly for First Nations women and socially disadvantaged groups; breastfeeding initiation and support; maternal and perinatal outcomes; First Nations maternal and infant health; postnatal depression prevention; midwifery education; and research translation into policy and practice. She has produced 140 publications in international refereed journals, two book chapters, and 250 conference presentations. Notable works include 'Effects of continuity of care by a primary midwife (caseload midwifery) on caesarean section rates in women of low obstetric risk: the COSMOS randomised controlled trial' (2012, cited 408 times), 'Continuity of care by a primary midwife (caseload midwifery) increases women’s satisfaction with antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care: results from the COSMOS randomised controlled trial' (2016, cited 361 times), 'Factors associated with breastfeeding at six months postpartum in a group of Australian women' (2006, cited 461 times), and 'Maternal and perinatal outcomes by planned place of birth among women with low-risk pregnancies in high-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis' (2018, cited 344 times). Professor McLachlan has attracted over $16 million in competitive grant funding for major trials including COSMOS, RUBY, DAISY, and MAGNOLIA, driving substantial policy and practice changes in Australian maternity services. She has earned multiple awards, such as La Trobe University's Excellence in Industry Engagement award, for her impactful research partnerships.