Ruth Watson Lubic Fights for Maternal Health Equity
For African-American women, the risk of death from pregnancy-related causes is three to four times higher than for white women. For 50 years, Ruth Watson Lubic, EdD, RN, CNM, FAAN, FACNM, has worked to reduce maternal and infant deaths. An Academy Living Legend and Edge Runner, she established the Family Health and Birth Center in a low-income community in Washington, DC in 1994. In 2000 her birth center added comprehensive social supports, case management, and early childhood education. The model established by Dr. Lubic serves as an exemplar for addressing racial disparities in maternal health care and outcomes.