A special issue of The Lancet provides an update on the status of maternal health—its epidemiology, successes, and current challenges—within the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals framework. The series, supported by MacArthur and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, cites poor quality of care and inequities in access to care as major impediments to maternal health, and identifies opportunities for future progress in the field. These include wider adoption of effective maternal health interventions, universal health coverage, and the use of behavioral economics to expand the reach of quality care.
