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Dr Marina Weckend

Research Assistant

Staff Member Details
Email: m.weckend@ecu.edu.au
Campus: Joondalup  
Room: JO8.444  
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6724-7302

Dr Marina Weckend is an independent midwifery researcher and lecturer with an Adjunct position at ECU. Marina specialises in the areas of physiological birth, woman-centred maternity care, and midwifery support for vulnerable populations. Her current research focus lies with natural pauses during childbirth (physiological plateaus), where she runs multiple studies in Australia and abroad.

Professional Associations:

  • Australian College of Midwives (ACM)
  • German Society for Midwifery Science (DGHWi)
  • Member of Quality Maternal and Newborn Care (QMNC) Research Alliance

Awards and Recognition:

  • ECU Research Medal (2023)
  • HDR Publication Award (2023)

Research Areas and Interests:

  • Promoting healthy childbirth
  • Enhancing understandings of physiological birth rhythms
  • Strengthening midwifery education and student midwife wellbeing
  • Enhancing access and quality of healthcare for vulnerable populations

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Edith Cowan University, 2023.

Research Outputs

Journal Articles

  • Weckend, M., McCullough, K., Duffield, C., Bayes, S., Davison, C. (2024). Physiological plateaus during normal labor and birth: A novel definition. Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care, 2024(Article in press), pp. https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12843.

Journal Articles

  • Weckend, M., McCullough, K., Duffield, C., Bayes, S., Davison, C. (2023). Failure to progress or just normal? A constructivist grounded theory of physiological plateaus during childbirth. Women and Birth, 2023(Article in press), TBD. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2023.10.003.

Journal Articles

  • Davison, C., Bayes, S., Weckend, M. (2022). Physiological plateaus during normal labor and birth: A scoping review of contemporary concepts and definitions. Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care, 49(2), 310-328. https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12607.

Journal Articles

  • Buchanan, K., Velandia, M., Weckend, M., Bayes, S. (2021). Learning objectives of cultural immersion programs: A scoping review. Nurse Education Today, 100(May 2021), Article number 104832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104832.
  • Weckend, M., Bayes, S., Davison, C. (2021). Exploring concepts and definitions of plateaus during normal labor and birth: a scoping review protocol. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 19(3), 644-651. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-20-00105.

Research Projects

  • Natural pauses during childbirth: How common are they and how do they impact the mother’s and newborn’s health?, Edith Cowan University, Early-Mid Career Researcher Grant Scheme 2024 (Stream 1), 2024 ‑ 2025, $39,864.
  • Inclusivity and diversity in entry pathways for midwifery education in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia & New Zealand), Grants, 2024 ‑ 2025, $10,958.
  • Consumer and community co-design project exploring women's experiences of natural pauses during childbirth, Australian Health Research Alliance, Women's Health Research Translation Network Early and Mid-Career Researcher Award, 2023 ‑ 2024, $10,960.
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