The Lancet: The power of midwifery
Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet, and Olaya Astudillo, assistant editor at The Lancet

“Midwifery is commonly misunderstood. The Series of four papers and five Comments we publish today sets out to correct that misunderstanding. … As governments slowly come to an agreement about development priorities post-2015, it is clear that maternal and newborn health will be essential foundations of any vision for sustainable development between 2015 and 2030. The work described in this Series offers a valuable guide to decision makers about how they can act now to protect the lives of a future generation of women and children” (9/20).