Women's History Month

Since 1995, March has been designated Women’s History Month to celebrate the contributions women have made to the U.S. and recognize the specific achievements they’ve made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.
Virginia Apgar Image
Celebrating International Women’s Day, March 8, with health pioneers

For Women’s History Month this March, we’re celebrating International Women’s Day by honoring all of the incredible women who have led groundbreaking research into health, vaccines, treatments, and more to help moms and babies be healthy and strong.

Get to know the amazing women who power March of Dimes and make an impact to maternal and infant health.

Here's a sample of a few incredible women who have made and are making a difference in the lives of moms and babies.

Agnes Higgins

A pioneer in devising methods of nutritional assessment and counseling, Agnes Higgins advanced the understanding of eating healthy as a crucial factor in healthy pregnancies and prevention of low birthweight. Today, the Agnes Higgins Award is presented in recognition of distinguished achievement in research, education, or clinical services in the field of maternal-fetal nutrition.

Dr. Nancy Krebs

With more than 20 years of experience and 350 research and scholarly publications, Dr. Nancy Krebs from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, was awarded the 2022 Agnes Higgins Award for her pioneering research on material and infant nutrition.

A prodigious researcher, Dr. Krebs’ body of work has covered components of the entire 1,000 days, with focus on the impact of nutrition and feeding on impaired growth of breastfed infants and young children in the U.S. and international settings. She has conducted extensive research applying stable isotope methodologies to characterize zinc and iron homeostasis and requirements in vulnerable populations in austere settings consuming supplements, micronutrient powders, and biofortified foods.

Gretchen Carlson

Gretchen Carlson is one of the nation's most successful and recognized news anchors and a tireless advocate for workplace equality and the empowerment of women. Her commitment along with March of Dimes created the Gretchen Carlson Advocacy Fellows, for dynamic, connected women with a passion for championing the issues important to moms, babies, and families. These fellows take a central role in our advocacy to change public policies across the nation while helping them to acquire the skills to lead others to do the same.

Skye Wheeler

Skye Wheeler works tirelessly as Co-Chair of the Mom and Baby Action Network’s (M-BAN) Environmental Justice Working Group. She mobilizes volunteers to take action on behalf of moms and babies by raising awareness, providing support, and always offering context to make the work meaningful. Skye is a Senior Researcher in the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch. Her leadership with M-BAN, relationship building, volunteer engagement, and collaboration is truly inspiring, and she’s made March of Dimes an active player in the environmental justice movement.

Virginia Apgar, MD

It’s been said that every baby is first seen through the eyes of Virginia Apgar.

Virginia Apgar, MD, (1909–1974) was an obstetrical anesthesiologist best known for developing the Apgar score, a system used worldwide for evaluating the physical condition of babies at birth. Her career spanned the fields of medicine and public health, and she became a pivotal figure in redirecting March of Dimes’ mission in the 1960s from polio to birth defects and other infant health problems such as preterm birth. More than that, Virginia Apgar was an irrepressible and charismatic champion for babies whose wit and lively personality captivated everyone she encountered in her constant quest for improvements to maternal and infant health.