About

Lisa Kane Low is a Professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing and holds the title of Carolyn M. Sampselle Collegiate Professor of Nursing. She serves as the Senior Associate Dean for Professional Graduate Studies and Professional Relations within the Department of Health Behavior and Clinical Sciences. Dr. Low's research focuses on advancing evidence-based care practices during childbirth that promote optimal outcomes for women and their families. Her clinical research aims to answer significant questions about the best ways to care for women during normal birth, particularly during second stage labor, to prevent pelvic floor injury. She is involved in numerous NIH-funded and internally supported studies related to childbirth care, including the use of electronic fetal monitoring, pelvic floor health, and prevention of postpartum complications such as incontinence and prolapse. Dr. Low has extensive experience working with multi-stakeholder groups to develop and implement model practices and national guidelines for maternity care. She also practices as a certified nurse midwife at the University of Michigan Health System. Her teaching responsibilities include courses on the care of childbearing women, international women's health, and mentoring doctoral and master's students. She actively engages in service learning and clinical training for students at the University of Michigan Women’s Hospital Birth Center.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Nursing
• Computer Science
• Sociology
• Political Science
• Social Science
• Engineering ethics
• Family medicine
• Public relations
• Engineering
• Management science

Selected publications

• Are Bladder-Related Knowledge and Agentic Beliefs Associated With Bladder Health?

  Urogynecology · 2026-03-09

  article

  IMPORTANCE: An improved understanding of associations of bladder-related knowledge and agentic beliefs with bladder health can be informative for developing strategies to prevent lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to evaluate associations of bladder knowledge and agentic beliefs with bladder health status. STUDY DESIGN: We assessed bladder-related knowledge and beliefs in RISE FOR HEALTH participants using the Bladder Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs instrument (BH-KAB, range 0-100) in a cross-sectional analysis. Bladder health was assessed using the Global scale of the Bladder Health Scales (BHS, 0-100), the Total Bladder Function Index (BFI, 0-100), and the Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Symptom Index-10 (LURN SI-10, 0-38). Associations of bladder-related knowledge and agentic beliefs with each bladder health outcome were assessed using linear regression. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 49.2 years (range=18-101 years). The mean knowledge score was 67.5 and the mean agency score was 56.5. The associations of the knowledge score with Global BHS and BFI were weak (-0.9 and -1.1), while associations of the agency score with Global BHS and BFI were stronger, with a 2.4 and 1.4 higher score (better health), respectively, for every 10-point increase in agency. Increased agency was also associated with fewer LUTS; for every 10-point increase in agency score, there was a 0.5 decrease in the LURN SI-10 score. CONCLUSIONS: Bladder-related knowledge was weakly associated and agentic beliefs were more strongly associated with bladder health and function. Longitudinal prevention intervention studies can help determine whether increases in agentic beliefs promote bladder health and prevent the development and worsening of LUTS.

  PublisherDOI

• Intermittent Auscultation for Intrapartum Fetal Heart Rate Surveillance

  Journal of Midwifery & Women s Health · 2026-02-26

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Fetal heart rate surveillance is a standard component of intrapartum care. The fetal heart rate can be evaluated using intermittent auscultation or electronic fetal monitoring. Research that has compared these 2 strategies found them to be equivalent with respect to long-term neonatal outcomes. The purpose of this clinical bulletin by the American College of Nurse-Midwives is to review evidence for the use of intermittent auscultation and provide recommendations for intermittent auscultation technique, interpretation, and documentation.

  PublisherDOI

• Associations of Self-Rated Deficits in Executive Function with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, Adaptive Behaviors, and Bladder Health among Women

  Journal of Women s Health · 2025-09-22

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Poorer performance on standardized tests of cognitive function is associated with urinary incontinence (UI), overactive bladder, and poorer bladder health among people aged 40 and older. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether self-rated deficits in executive function domains (organization/problem solving, inhibitory control/self-restraint, self-regulation of emotions) are associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), perceived bladder health and function, and adaptive behaviors to prevent or manage UI among adult women across the life course. METHODS: = 1,551). RESULTS: Self-rated deficits in all evaluated domains of executive function were significantly associated with greater numbers and frequency of LUTS, including urgency and urgency UI; poorer perceived bladder health and function; and a greater tendency to locate bathrooms when entering new places. Associations were of similar magnitude across age categories ranging from emerging to older adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate an association between self-rated executive function deficits and bladder function. Further research should test brain-bladder communication as a potential mechanism linking deficits in executive function to greater numbers and frequency of LUTS, poorer perceived bladder health and function, and greater engagement in adaptive behaviors to prevent or manage UI. Research is also needed to further evaluate whether associations between executive function and LUTS differ by life course stage.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A mixed-methods scoping review on bladder self-care practices in women with and without lower urinary tract symptoms

  Continence · 2025-11-25

  articleOpen access

  This scoping review synthesized literature on women's bladder self-care practices by: 1) describing study characteristics; 2) identifying questionnaires used to assess self-care; and 3) summarizing behaviors relevant to bladder health. Five databases and reference lists were searched through April 2025 for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies. Ninety-seven studies were included, identifying 107 behaviors grouped into four domains: Toileting and Bladder Management, Personal Care and Hygiene Practices, Lifestyle and Behavioral Strategies, and Therapeutic Interventions. Most studies focused on women with urinary symptoms, with few population-based samples. No comprehensive, validated questionnaire assessing the full scope of bladder self-care was identified. Women engage in diverse behaviors that may influence bladder health. A validated, multidimensional questionnaire is needed to assess these behaviors, identify risk and protective factors, and guide preventive interventions.

  PublisherDOI

• On a Sunny Day, I Hear My Neighbor's Voice, and: A White Girl Finds Herself in the City

  Pleiades · 2025-03-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Can theory-driven implementation interventions help clinician champions promote opioid stewardship after childbirth? Protocol for a pragmatic implementation study

  Frontiers in Global Women s Health · 2025-03-14 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Background: Our objective is to determine the effect of a new national clinical practice guideline (CPG) for pain management after childbirth, as implemented with less vs. more intensive implementation support, on postpartum opioid prescribing. Methods: A quasi-experimental analysis will measure the impact of post-childbirth pain management guidelines on opioid prescribing in a statewide hospital collaborative, overall and among key patient subgroups at risk for inequitable care and outcomes. We will also use a randomized, non-responder design and mixed-methods approaches to evaluate the effects of Replicating Effective Programs (REP), a theory-driven, scalable implementation intervention, and Enhanced REP (E-REP; i.e., REP augmented with facilitation, which is individualized consultation with site champions to overcome local barriers) on the uptake of the CPG. The study will include hospitals within the Obstetrics Initiative (OBI), a perinatal collaborative quality initiative funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan that includes 68 member hospitals serving more than 120,000 postpartum people, over approximately 15 months. Hospitals not initially responding to REP-defined by performance <15th percentile of all OBI hospitals for (a) inpatient order for opioid-sparing postpartum pain management (e.g., scheduled acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs when not contraindicated), or (b) amount of opioid prescribed at discharge-will be allocated via block randomization to continue REP or to E-REP. Using interrupted time series analyses, the primary analysis will evaluate the rate of postpartum opioid-sparing prescribing metrics at the time of discharge (primary outcome) and opioid prescription refills and high-risk prescribing (secondary outcomes) before and after CPG implementation with REP. We will evaluate inequities in outcomes by patient, procedure, prescriber, and hospital factors. Exploratory analyses will examine temporal trends in patient-reported outcomes and the effects of continued REP vs. E-REP among slower-responder sites. We will evaluate implementation outcomes (e.g., acceptability, feasibility, costs, needed REP and E-REP adaptations) using clinician and patient surveys and qualitative methods (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06285123). Discussion: Findings will inform refinements to the REP and E-REP interventions and add to the literature on the effectiveness of facilitation to promote uptake of evidence-based clinical practices in maternity care.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Drivers of Variation in Postpartum Opioid Prescribing Across Hospitals Participating in a Statewide Maternity Care Quality Collaborative

  Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey · 2025-03-01

  article

  (Abstracted from Birth 2024;51:541–558) Management of postpartum pain—including the use of opioids—varies significantly in practice. In Europe, postpartum opioid prescribing is rare; however, in the United States, at least one opioid is prescribed to an estimated 30% of people after vaginal birth and 75% after cesarean delivery (CD).

  PublisherDOI

• Perspectives of Doulas of Color on their Role in Alleviating Racial Disparities in Birth Outcomes: A Qualitative Study

  UNC Libraries · 2025-06-24

  articleOpen access

  INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to explore how doulas of color conceptualize both their work and how their racial and ethnic identities influence their work within the context of racial disparities in birth outcomes in the United States. METHODS: We conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with doulas of color who had attended at least 3 births as doulas. Participants were recruited from across the United States. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis was used to derive themes from the transcribed interviews. RESULTS: Interviews were conducted with 8 doulas of color, ranging in age from 21 to 47 from across the United States. All participants were either current college students or had earned a college degree. Although many of the doulas identified as being of more than one racial or ethnic group, nearly all participants identified closely with being Black or African American first, and their other racial groups second. Four major themes emerged: relationship with the medical system, role of identity in the doulas' work, role of class, and divisions within the natural birth movement. DISCUSSION: The majority of doulas who participated in this study stated that their racial identity strongly influenced their work, particularly when working with women of the same race or ethnicity due to their shared identities. Several participants initially became doulas because of a desire to alleviate disparities in birth outcomes for women of color. This suggests a commitment on the part of the study participants to serving their communities and to bridging the gap between women of color and the health care system. Several participants also noted that they feel alienated by both the health care system and the mainstream natural birth community.

  PublisherDOI

• Associations Between U.S. Women’s Toileting Behaviors and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of RISE for HEALTH Study Data

  Journal of Women s Health · 2025-03-03 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Premature voiding, delayed voiding, and straining showed the strongest associations with LUTS in this cross-sectional analysis. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the directionality of these associations. Educating young women on healthy toileting habits may mitigate potential effects of unhealthy toileting behaviors on bladder health.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Experience of Bladder Health in Community-Dwelling Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals Within the RISE FOR HEALTH Study

  JU Open Plus · 2025-09-01 · 2 citations

  article

  Purpose: Research exists exploring prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in cisgender heterosexual women yet validated instruments have not been used to survey sexual and gender minority (SGM) people. Alongside LUTS measures, recently validated bladder health instruments were used in the RISE FOR HEALTH Study that included expanded demographic information of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex assigned at birth questions. Materials and Methods: The RISE FOR HEALTH study is a population-based prospective cohort survey study of adults born female, recruited from a commercial marketing database. Participants who responded to questions identifying them as SGM people were compared with age-matched non-SGM participants. Chi-square and t tests were used for comparison between groups in general, and in the age-matched sample paired t tests, McNemar, and McNemar-Bowker tests were used. Results: Among 98% of participants who answered sexual and gender identity questions (3364 of 3424), 260 (8%) met sexual and gender subset criteria with a selected group of 260 non-SGM people participants for the age-matched comparison. The SGM participants had significantly lower bladder health scores and bladder function indices yet there were no significant differences in lower urinary symptoms between the SGM participants and the age matched non-SGM participants. Conclusions: In this study, SGM populations had bladder health and bladder function outcomes suggesting poorer bladder health and higher risk for LUTS compared with cisgender populations.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Spontaneous vs. Directed Pushing: Analysis of Audiotapes of 2nd stage Labor and A

  NIH · $155k · 2011–2013

• The Truly Healthy Bladder 2: Understanding Normal As A Pathway To Prevention Of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms In Women

  NIH · $3.8M · 2015–2026

Frequent coauthors

• Alayne D. Markland

  Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center

  48 shared

• Diane K. Newman

  University of Pennsylvania

  46 shared

• Kathryn L. Burgio

  Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center

  42 shared

• Sonya S. Brady

  University of Minnesota

  41 shared

• Miller Jm

  Applied Technical Services (United States)

  41 shared

• Elizabeth R. Mueller

  Loyola University Chicago

  40 shared

• Ariana L. Smith

  University of Pennsylvania

  33 shared

• Jeni Hebert‐Beirne

  33 shared

Labs

• University of Michigan School of NursingPI

Awards & honors

• Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing 2014
• American College of Nurse Midwives Distinguished Service Awa…
• Excellence in Teaching, American College of Nurse Midwives 2…
• Excellence in Research, Rho Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau 2007
• Excellence in Undergraduate Education, College of Literature…