Lisa Kane Low

Dr. Lisa Kane Low, Assistant Professor

Lisa Kane Low, PhD, CNM, FACNM

Assistant Professor
Coordinator Nurse Midwifery Education Program
Division of Health Promotion and Risk Reduction (Div. II)
Room 3320 A

University of Michigan School of Nursing
400 North Ingalls Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5482

Telephone: (734) 647-0136
Fax: (734) 647-0351

Scholarly Expertise / Activity

Interests:

  • Management of second stage labor and associated perineal and pelvic floor outcomes
  • Care practices during childbirth
  • Social support in labor with doulas
  • Childbirth practices in low resource settings
  • Physiological or normal childbirth

Dr. Kane Low focuses her research on advancing evidence based care practices during childbirth that promote optimal outcomes for childbearing women and their families. She conducts clinical research aimed at answering significant questions about the ways in which women can best be cared for during the process of normal birth particularly during second stage labor to prevent pelvic floor injury. Currently, Dr. Low is involved in a number of NIH-funded studies focusing on the process of care during childbirth including: Defining Events during Second Stage Labor” the “Psychobiology of PTSD & Childbearing” with Dr. Julia Seng, and the SCOR Sex and Gender Factors Affecting Women’s Pelvic Floor Health During Childbirth directed by Dr. John De Lancey. She directs a model program called Doulas Care to provide volunteer Doulas for low income women and conducts studies in Honduras aimed at the prevention of post partum hemorrhage. She also practices as a certified nurse midwife at the University of Michigan Health System.

Current Research Grants and Programs:

  • Principle Investigator, MICHR/MICHIN University of Michigan P-30 National Institutes of Health, DiMEND, Defining Measures and Events of Normal Delivery with an emphasis on Management of 2nd stage labor and pelvic floor changes.
  • Co-Investigator (PI DeLancey) Office of Research on Women’s Health, Special Center for Research (SCOR) Sex and Gender Factors Affecting Women’s Health: Birth, Muscle Injury and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction P50 HD44406
  • Co-Investigator (PI Seng) The Psychobiology of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Adverse Outcomes of Childbearing. National Institute of Nursing Research 1R01 NR008767

Teaching

While Dr. Kane Low has extensive teaching experience across the nurse midwifery education curriculum, her primary teaching responsibility is the course entitled Care of Childbearing Women whose subject matter compliments her own research and clinical expertise. She also teaches an International Women’s Health course in the Doctoral program and provides research mentoring for doctoral and master’s students in the School of Nursing.  In addition to training future nurses, Dr. Low teaches Perspectives in Women’s Health in the U-M Women’s Studies Department, and works with over 300 undergraduates every year, showcasing the value of a nursing and feminist perspective in addressing women’s health issues for non-nursing students.  Outside of the classroom, Dr. Kane Low enjoys the opportunity to work with students through non-traditional service learning mechanisms to foster their interests in Midwifery, Women’s Health and Maternal Child Health both domestically and abroad and works with nursing students during their clinical experiences at the University of Michigan Women’s Hospital Birth Center where she practices as a certified nurse midwife.

Affiliations / Service

  • Chair, Clinical Standards and Documents Section, Division of Standards and Practice, American College of Nurse Midwives, 2010-2013
  • Editorial Board, International Journal of Childbirth, 2010-present
  • Member, International Confederation of Midwives, Research Standing Committee, 2005-2011
  • Optimality Index-U.S Workgroup, American College of Nurse Midwives, 2002-present
  • Member, Midwest Nursing Research Society, 2000-present (Past Chair, Childbearing Research Section, 2008-2009)
  • Member, American College of Nurse Midwives, 1986-present (multiple service and leadership roles including Board of Directors, 2000-2003)

Notable Awards / Honors

  • Excellence in Teaching, American College of Nurse Midwives, 2009
  • Excellence in Research, Rho Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2007
  • Excellence in Undergraduate Education, College of Literature, Science and the Arts, University of Michigan, 2006
  • Best Paper of the Year, Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health for “Adolescents’ Experiences of Childbirth: Nothing is Simple,” 2004
  • Fellow, American College of Nurse Midwives, 2002
  • Mae Edna Doyle Teacher of the Year Award, University of Michigan School of Nursing, 1996

Education

  • PhD, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2001
  • Graduate Certificate, Women’s Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1999
  • Post Master’s Certificate in Teaching, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 1995
  • MS, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, 1987
  • BSN, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1984

Publication Highlights

  • Miller, J.M., Brandon, C., Jacobson, J., Kane Low, L., Zielinksi, R., Ashton-Miller, J., DeLancey, J.O.L. MRI Findings of Pelvic Floor Injury in High Risk Patients Studied Serially Post Vaginal Childbirth, American Journal of Roengenotolgy (in press)
  • Seng, Julia S.; Low, Lisa Kane; Sperlich, Mickey; Ronis, David L.; Liberzon, Israel Prevalence, Trauma History, and Risk for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Nulliparous Women in Maternity Care. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 114(4):839-847, October 2009.
  • Zielinski, R., Kane Low, L, Tumbarello, J., Miller, J. (2010) Body Image and Sexuality in women with prolapse. Urologic Nursing, 29(4) 239-246.
  • Kane Low, L., Seng, J., Miller, J. (2008). Optimality Index: validation study of a health outcomes instrument. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health.53(4): 302-309.
  • Kane Low, L., Bailey, J., Sacks, E., Medina, L., Lopez, H. (2008). Post Partum Hemorrhage Prevention: A case study in Northern Rural Honduras. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. January/February E1-6.
  • De Lancey, J.O.L., Low, L. K., Miller, J.M., Patel, D., Tumbarello, J. (2008) Graphic Integration of Causal Factors of Pelvis Floor Disorders: An integrated lifespan model. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In press epub available as of June 2.
  • Kane Low, L., Moffatt, A. and Brennan, P. (2006). Doulas as Community Health Workers: Lessons Learned from a Volunteer Program. Journal of Perinatal Education. 15(3), 25-33.
  • Kane Low, L. and Moffat, A. (2006). Every Labor is Unique: Call When Contractions are 3-5 Minutes Apart. Journal of the Association of Maternal and Child Health Nursing. 31(5), 307-312.
  • Kane Low, L. and Miller, J. (2006). Demonstration of Evidence-Based Maternity Care Using the Optimality Index: Implications for Nursing Practice. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nurses. (JOGNN). 35(6), 786-793.
  • Kane Low, L., Scheib, H., Bailey, J., Sacks, E. (2006) Traditional birth attendants in northern rural Honduras: Challenges during times of transition. Midwifery 22(1): 78-87.
  • Seng, J.S., Kane Low, L.., Liberzon, I.L. (2005). PTSD, cortisol profile, and outcomes in pregnant women: report of a pilot study. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health 50(5), 392 - 398.
  • Lantz, P., Kane Low, L., Varkey, S., Watson, R. ( 2005) Doulas as paraprofessionals: Results of a National Survey. Women’s Health Issues15:109-116.
  • Lantz, P., Kane Low, L., Watson, R. (2004) Doula’s views on the rewards and challenges of their work. International Journal of Childbirth Education. December.
  • Seng, J., Kane Low, L., Sparbel, K., Killion, C. (2004) Women's Descriptions of Abuse related Posttraumatic Stress during the Childbearing Year. Journal of Advance Nursing Practice 46(6): 604-613.
  • Kane Low, L., Martin, K., Sampselle, C., Guthrie, B., Stewart, A., Oakley, D., (2003) Adolescent’s Experiences of Childbirth: Contrasts with Adults Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health 48(3):192-198.