What areas in nursing need to be studied concerning women's health and pregnancy?

[Guest 556972]

Good morning ladies (and the few gents). I wonder if you have any ideas for me.

I have been invited to apply for the Ronald E. McNair program at Chapel Hill. Basically they will prep me through research and mentorship for graduate school during my bachelors.

If I pursue nursing, then I will go to graduate school for midwifery (science-based CNM). If I pursue midwifery, then I will be required to have a DNP or PhD (supposedly, as the apparently new information goes) in order to practice. I am interested in women's health, particularly concerning pregnancy and birth and I would love to incorporate nutrition and/or psychology into any study in my future. Since I have not gone anywhere *near* nursing school yet, I have no idea what I would want to study that includes nursing and women's health during pregnancy.

I have to write an essay stating what I would want to research, but as of now I just want to *learn* about nursing, and I have no idea what I might want to study during a doctorate, or if I would even want a doctorate. All I know, is that I would receive amazing experience in this program with my nursing professors, so I am going for it, and I love researching, so I know that I will enjoy the rigors of the program.

Any suggestions? I don't need an actual project, just an area to study and/or improve upon. Hopefully your suggestions will guide me into a general direction. Again, I have taken NO nursing classes, so please keep the terminology pretty simple, or at least with an explanation for someone like me (a newbie).

Thanks in advance!

Mrs. D.