03/28/2026
🌸 As Women’s History Month comes to a close, we’re celebrating three extraordinary women whose work in maternal health has changed — and continues to change — lives around the world.
Monica McLemore 🩺
A nurse, researcher, and reproductive justice advocate, Dr. McLemore has dedicated her career to understanding and eliminating inequities in maternal and reproductive health. Her research centers the most marginalized communities, with the belief that when we care for those most overlooked, care improves for everyone.
Mary Seacole 🌍
Long before modern maternal care existed, Mary Seacole was on the front lines — healing, nurturing, and advocating for the sick and wounded. A pioneer of holistic and herbal medicine passed down through generations, she broke through racial and institutional barriers to provide compassionate care when it was needed most.
Virginia Apgar 👶
Dr. Apgar revolutionized how we welcome new life into the world. Her Apgar Score — a simple, five-point assessment given to newborns moments after birth — is still used in delivery rooms worldwide and has saved countless infant lives since its creation in 1952.
These women remind us that progress in maternal care is built on courage, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to doing what’s right. 💙
📸 Photo Credits
Monica McLemore — University of Washington News (washington.edu)
Mary Seacole — Portrait by Albert Charles Challen, 1869 © National Portrait Gallery, London
Virginia Apgar — Photo by Al Ravenna / World Journal Tribune, 1966. Library of Congress
