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What is a Lancet Commission?

A Lancet Commission brings together global, multidisciplinary and diverse stakeholders in order to respond to an urgent health predicament.

Typically lasting 2-3 years, Lancet Commissions bring together a group of experts and advocates from multi-disciplines and sectors to develop a novel, transformational response to a burning or neglected area of global health, culminating in a report published in The Lancet that includes recommendations for key stakeholders and calls for sustained action and change.

Origins of Lancet Commission on Maternal and Newborn Health

At the sidelines of the XXIV FIGO World Congress of Gynaecology and Obstetrics in 2023, stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, and advocates, engaged in discussions about the challenges facing maternal and newborn health services in the 21st century. Central to these discussions was the concept of reestablishing maternal and newborn health as a global priority in the critical final years of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and beyond 2030. There was general consensus that action was urgently needed and the idea of starting a Lancet Commission on Maternal and Newborn Health took shape.

Concept

Building on the foundation of previous landmark Lancet series on Midwifery 2014 (1), Maternal health 2016 (2), and Caesarean section 2018 (3), this Commission aims to reclaim maternal and newborn health’s central position within global health agendas. In response to escalating global challenges such as climate change, conflicts, and pandemics, there is evidence that current goals will not be achieved. With only five years to 2030, the goal of reaching a global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 70 maternal deaths per 100 000 livebirths remains out of reach, with an MMR of 223 being reported in 2020 (4). Additionally, since 2016, the MMR has decreased in only two regions of the world, namely central and south Asia, and Australia and New Zealand. All other world regions have experienced a stagnation or an increase in the MMR (4).

Within the field of maternal and newborn health, there are other crises hidden in plain sight. The ‘overmedicalisation’ of childbirth with operative procedures, such as caesarean sections increasing to alarming levels, is a key issue. Countries like Egypt have gone from low caesarean section rates, to over 60% in a matter of a few years (3). This has changed the very nature of maternal and newborn health services, where midwives and doctors are seeing fewer ‘normal vaginal births’ and forgetting basic childbirth principles and manoeuvres.

Further, more and more women are reporting both ‘disrespectful and substandard’ maternal and newborn care (5-9), an issue that has gained global attention through the numerous testimonies reported by women and women’s organisations (6). Another overlooked aspect is mental health, a critical factor that can influence both short- and long-term health outcomes for mothers and newborns. Conditions such as postpartum depression, anxiety, and stress can affect a mother’s ability to bond with her baby, provide care, and even impact the child’s cognitive and emotional development later on in life (10). Lastly, what is the role of new technologies—such as digital health platforms, telemedicine, and AI-driven tools—in improving access to care, and tailor-making interventions for maternal-newborn health?

Our goal

The Commission is bringing together experts from scientific and professional societies, public healthcare authorities, researchers, and lived-experience experts to address these multifaceted, global challenges in maternal and newborn health. We aim to comprehensively identify gaps, address challenges and provide new knowledge to promote the highest quality of care for mothers and babies worldwide. By successfully completing these aims, the commission will ultimately not only benefit mothers and newborns but also strengthen family well-being and societal health as a whole.

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