She received her certificate in nurse-midwifery from the CNEP Program at the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing, and her PhD from the University of Illinois, Chicago. Her program of research is focused on the psychophysiology of labor, self-efficacy for childbirth, pain during childbirth, care practices during labor and birth, and women's self-care of gynecologic infections. Dr. Lowe is currently the associate editor of the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing (JOGGN). She becomes the editor of JOGGN in July 2001.