To celebrate Women's History Month, we're returning to an earlier episode to elevate the trailblazers of TODAY and ask what the preferred experience of health and design of health systems looks like when we center on the experiences and expertise of the women in nursing who lead the way.

According to a CDC report, during the first year of the pandemic in 2020, the number of women in the United States who died during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth increased sharply.

And while the pandemic has exacerbated it, the maternal mortality crisis was an issue long before COVID, one that disproportionately impacts Black women. U.S. maternal death is the highest in the developed world, and this preventable trend, despite our awareness, continues to worsen.

It's in this light that we return to one of our first, and timeless episodes, Empowering Childbirth and the story of nurse-midwife and maternal and child health pioneer, innovator, and activist Ruth Lubic.

Vigorous at 95, Lubic continues six decades of a movement to improve health, experiences, and outcomes for mothers, children and families. At its core, her work, innovation, and commitment is to address health inequities and ensure the safety and dignity of everyone who gives birth.

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