Kristen Montgomery

Introduction Most pregnancies are low-risk. However, sometimes women develop pre-eclampsia. The incidence varies based on different studies (Havers-Borgersen et al., 2023, 10.1136/jech-2023-220829).Pre-eclampsia is characterized by elevated blood pressure, protein in the urine, and excessive swelling and occurs after 20 weeks of pregnancy though in...

Twenty-four women with children 5 years old or younger were interviewed regarding their experiences in losing weight during the postpartum period. Phenomenological interviews were conducted according to Husserl's perspective. Women who participated in the study revealed the issues related to postpartum weight loss: weight struggles, exercise, breas...

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States, and research has supported the theory that pregnancy contributes to long-term weight gain. This phenomenological study investigated the postpartum weight loss experiences of 24 women. Women ranged in age from 25 to 35 years, were mostly Caucasian with adequate resources, and about half worked eithe...

In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 men who had a significant other who had given birth within the last 5 years. Men were asked about their perceptions of pregnancy-related weight gain, and content analysis was used to identify themes from the interviews. Men described nine themes related to perinatal weight gain: (a) negative perceptions, (...

The controversy over the health benefits of soy protein remains. This short review presents an overview of the : research that is available. Soy protein has health benefits that include prevention of cancer and the strengthening of bone health while preventing osteoporosis. Through cardiovascular health, soy protein can help maintain blood pressure...

Unlabelled: This study was designed to examine women's experiences of weight loss during the postpartum period. Understanding women's positive and negative experiences can assist health care providers to successfully intervene in helping women lose weight following pregnancy and avoid long-term weight gain and obesity development. Design: Phenom...

This column features excerpts from a recent series of articles from the Lamaze International research blog, Science & Sensibility. The eight-part series examined the issue of maternal obesity from various perspectives, incorporating writings from Kimmelin Hull, a physician assistant, a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, and the community manager...

Descriptive qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 women who had given birth in the previous 5 years to identify factors that influenced their desire to become pregnant. All interviews were audiotaped. Following the interviews, the texts were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Giorgi's method. Five themes emerged from the interviews: (1...

America is a diverse culture with multiple people, religions, cultural beliefs, and values. Health promotion is a basic nursing activity. Nurses working in distinct settings interact with multiples cultural groups. Many individuals that are part of diverse cultures are considered vulnerable. Individuals and populations are considered vulnerable bec...

Maternal anxiety and stress are found to be predictors of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including low birth weight and prematurity. The aim of the study was to determine whether relaxation education in anxious pregnant Iranian women in their first pregnancy affects selected pregnancy outcomes, including birth weight, preterm birth, and surgical deliv...

Calcium is an essential nutrient during pregnancy and lactation. Calcium contributes to bone development in the fetus and neonate and is considered a critical nutrient. Physiological changes in calcium metabolism occur during pregnancy and lactation. Some women may lose some of their bone density during pregnancy and/or lactation, and then regain i...

Women with a multiple pregnancy have unique learning needs in preparing for birth. This paper explores the issues relevant to women with a multiple pregnancy to support a positive birth experience. One of the foundations of childbirth education and nursing care is to provide the individual woman and her family with knowledge regarding the birth pro...

Women with a multiple pregnancy can expect a different labor and birth course than those with a singleton pregnancy. While the postpartum period is similar to that of families with a singleton, it is likely to be more hectic in families with multiple infants. In addition, a multiple pregnancy increases both maternal and neonatal risks; therefore, w...

Families of preterm infants need a tremendous amount of support. This resource column highlights several Web sites that may be useful to health care providers and childbirth educators, as well as to parents of premature infants and their families.

Research has identified pregnancy as a trigger to obesity among women; therefore, childbirth educators are encouraged to include the topic of weight gain in their classes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published a guide on obesity that may serve as an excellent resource for both educators and their clients.

Health-care providers need to recognize that not all adolescent pregnancies occur as a result of error. A small subset of adolescents intentionally plan their pregnancy. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of 14- to 17-year-old pregnant females who had planned their pregnancies. Participants were recruited fro...

Epidural analgesia has become a popular way to reduce pain during labor. Because epidural use is not limited to women who plan its use, but extends to some who originally planned a nonmedicated birth, it is important for the childbirth educator to provide information on this topic to all women. In this column, the authors provide examples of Web si...

Pregnant HIV-positive women have unique education needs during the perinatal period. HIV-positive women need information regarding the differences in recommended care they can expect to experience both for themselves and their newborn. Differences in recommended care are related to minimizing transmission of the HIV virus. This article discusses th...

In this column, the author reviews Web sites that provide information and resources on waterbirth.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to report declining pregnancy rates among teenagers, with nearly one million adolescent girls becoming pregnant each year, the incidence of adolescent pregnancy is still of major significance. This article discusses how nurses and other health care providers can best address comprehensiv...

Soy protein comes from soybeans and offers multiple health benefits, some of which are just beginning to be discovered. This column reviews the health benefits of soy products with a special focus on women and children’s health. To date, little has been written or researched that is directly related to perinatal health. Thus, the column has a more...

Prenatal care health promotion education is an important strategy for reducing perinatal health disparities. The purposes of this study were to (a) identify differences between the health promotion content women wanted to discuss and the content women reported discussing and (b) determine whether ethnicity was related to health promotion content. A...

Prenatal care health promotion education is an important strategy for reducing perinatal health disparities. The purposes of this study were to (a) identify differences between the health promotion content women wanted to discuss and the content women reported discussing and (b) determine whether ethnicity was related to health promotion content. A...

In this column, the author provides examples of Web sites that address exercise and physical activity during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Pregnancy represents an ideal time for health promotion activities. Many women, including adolescents, are interested and willing to change health behaviors to improve the chance that they will deliver a healthy infant. This paper focuses on improving nutrition in pregnant adolescents. Seven recommendations are presented to help achieve this goal:...

Twenty-six elders responded to an open-ended question as part of a study that examined the relationships among depression, health, memory self-efficacy, and metamemory. Participants rated their overall memory function as fair to average (M = 4.26, standard deviation [SD] = 1.29). The average memory efficacy scores were high (M = 51.35, SD = 23.56)....

Although the physical care of pregnant adolescents is similar to that required by adult women, adolescents have additional unique needs. Adolescents often need more support and extensive teaching during pregnancy and the postpartum. Moreover, adolescents often have fewer life experiences than do adult women, making them less able to cope with the l...

When an HIV-positive woman becomes pregnant, additional nutritional considerations are warranted. Compared to routine prenatal nutritional assessment and intervention, pregnant HIV-positive women have increased needs to promote a healthy outcome. This column contains information on HIV and pregnancy, nutrition and infection, and nutrition for HIV-p...

Obesity contributes to multiple health problems during pregnancy and predisposes a woman to develop gestational diabetes. This column reviews the currently best Web sites that address gestational diabetes and obesity during the perinatal period.

When an HIV-positive woman becomes pregnant, additional nutritional considerations are warranted. Compared to routine prenatal nutritional assessment and intervention, pregnant HIV-positive women have increased needs to promote a healthy outcome. This column contains information on HIV and pregnancy, nutrition and infection, and nutrition for HIV-p...

Obesity contributes to multiple health problems during pregnancy and predisposes a woman to develop gestational diabetes. This column reviews the currently best Web sites that address gestational diabetes and obesity during the perinatal period.

Pregnancy represents an ideal time for health promotion activities. Many women, including adolescents, are interested and willing to change health behaviors to improve the chance that they will deliver a healthy infant. This paper focuses on improving nutrition in pregnant adolescents. Seven recommendations are presented to help achieve this goal:...

In this column, the author provides examples of Web sites that address exercise and physical activity during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Soy protein comes from soybeans and offers multiple health benefits, some of which are just beginning to be discovered. This column reviews the health benefits of soy products with a special focus on women and children's health. To date, little has been written or researched that is directly related to perinatal health. Thus, the column has a more...

Psychiatric disorders occur at every life stage, including pregnancy. This resource column highlights several Web resources that may be useful to childbirth educators and other health care providers who may care for pregnant woman experiencing one of these conditions.

Pregnant HIV-positive women have unique education needs during the perinatal period. HIV-positive women need information regarding the differences in recommended care they can expect to experience both for themselves and their newborn. Differences in recommended care are related to minimizing transmission of the HIV virus. This article discusses th...

In this column, the author reviews Web sites that provide information and resources on waterbirth.

Obesity has been identified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as a major public health problem. Healthy People 2010, a strategic plan to improve the nation's health, identifies overweight and obesity as a key focus area (DHHS, 2000). Weight changes associated with pregnancy are a risk factor for obesity. Previous research h...

Approximately 15% of all adolescent pregnancies are planned. Little previous research has been conducted regarding why adolescents choose pregnancy or what the experience is like for them. Phenomenology was used to describe adolescents' experience planning their current pregnancy. Eight pregnant adolescents (ages 14 to 17 years) were interviewed. E...

This column reviews seven Web sites that address HIV and pregnancy.

Adequate water intake is essential to maintaining life. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should be encouraged to increase their intake of water and other fluids to meet their bodies’ needs. Infants do not need additional water; breast milk or formula contributes adequate amounts of water to their diet.

This column reviews four Web sites that address postpartum depression.

Scientific Inquiry provides a forum to facilitate the ongoing process of questioning and evaluating practice, informs practice based on available data, and guides new practices through research and experimental learning.

Women are entering, staying, or returning to the workforce following childbirth in increasing numbers. They report various amounts of success in the workplace after they become mothers. This column presents a review of five Web sites that provide useful resources to working Moms.

A guiding theoretical framework in research serves not only to guide a single research study, but also to link previous and future research that is guided by the same framework. Existing theoretical perspectives appropriate for use with adolescent health promotion research were reviewed. Instead of randomly selecting several theories for comparison...

The Internet serves as an excellent resource for childbirth educators in their search for information and education to share with high-risk families who are in need of support to help them cope with complicated pregnancies.

Women are entering, staying, or returning to the workforce following childbirth in increasing numbers. They report various amounts of success in the workplace after they become mothers. This column presents a review of five Web sites that provide useful resources to working Moms.

Adequate water intake is essential to maintaining life. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should be encouraged to increase their intake of water and other fluids to meet their bodies' needs. Infants do not need additional water; breast milk or formula contributes adequate amounts of water to their diet.

This column reviews four Web sites that address postpartum depression.

This column reviews seven Web sites that address HIV and pregnancy.

Research conducted by nurses, disseminated to broad populations of health care providers, and then used by nurses who provide direct care to patients, represents the ideal triad of research-based clinical practice. The current state of practice is far from this ideal. It is important to disseminate research within one's own country. In addition, ch...

Childbirth educators are in a unique position to offer individuals and families a helpful amount of resource information on violence prevention and awareness. Internet-based resources on managing violence are especially abundant. Educators can learn from these web sites and pass along the information to their class participants.

Leadership is an essential skill that must be passed on to the next generation of nursing leaders, if nursing is to continue to flourish. While some may argue that leadership ability is innate, certain acquired skills can enhance one's leadership abilities. Additionally, opportunities and appropriate experiences are essential to the development of...

The purpose of this paper is to review the research and discuss 13 challenges that currently influence excellence in maternal-newborn nursing practice. Nurses working in the maternal-newborn arena are encouraged to evaluate their own practices in relation to the identified areas. The 13 identified challenges are the following: integration and expan...

Adolescent pregnancy represents a significant portion of all pregnancies that occur in the United States. However, little is known about adolescents who plan to become pregnant. This phenomenologic investigation attempts to fill the gap in the current literature by addressing this question. Eight adolescent girls between the ages of 14 and 17 were...

Large proportions of prescriptions are never taken as directed.

A qualitative data collection bag can be an effective tool for maintaining an organized process while collecting qualitative data. Having essential items on hand will facilitate completing data collection in a timely, efficient manner. Timely completion of a project results in positive experiences for both the researcher and participant.

The Apgar scoring system was intended as an evaluative measure of a newborn's condition at birth and of the need for immediate attention. In the most recent past, individuals have unsuccessfully attempted to link Apgar scores with long-term developmental outcomes. This practice is not appropriate, as the Apgar score is currently defined. Expectant...

Adolescent pregnancy can have devastating effects for both mother and child. However, little is known about the experience of planned pregnancy among adolescents. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of themes identified in a previous study of the experience of planned adolescent pregnancy. The experience of planning a pregnancy during adolesce...

It is well known in the lactation community that many of our generalist health care providers are inadequately prepared to manage breastfeeding dyads. In response to the need for skilled health care providers, a breastfeeding course was developed and implemented. The course was offered within a school of nursing, but open to all interested particip...

Sheila Grossman is a contributing author, "Leadership". Book description: This new edition of the award-winning guide to the web for nurses is nearly double in size and twice as useful! Expert nurses in more than 50 content areas have carefully selected and reviewed nearly 400 web sites available in their specialty areas --- resulting in an authori...

Eileen R. O'Shea is a contributing author, Chapter 23 "Nursing publishing companies" (2nd ed., pp. 141-147). Book description: This 2nd edition of the award-winning guide to the web for nurses is nearly double in size and twice as useful! Expert nurses in more than 50 content areas have carefully selected and reviewed nearly 400 web sites available...