Support the Judith P. Rooks Research Fund

At the AABC Foundation, we support the advancement of the AABC birth center model through research, education, and accreditation.

Judith Pence Rooks (1941-2020) was a renowned researcher, nurse-midwife, leader, and educator. Her accomplishments and accolades are many. She authored more than 85 publications, including the landmark National Birth Center Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Her leadership, research, and advocacy were instrumental in bringing nitrous oxide back into use in U.S. childbirth. She wrote the seminal treatise Midwifery and Childbirth in America and co-edited the award-winning Best Practices in Midwifery and Nurse-Midwifery in America.

Through the Judith P. Rooks Research Fund, we will extend Judith’s legacy by supporting critical research and removing barriers to its dissemination, like the recent journal article “Assessment of interprofessional collaboration at free-standing birth centers: Does collaboration influence outcomes?” This open-access research article was linked to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.