SDG 3.1: Ending Preventable Maternal Deaths

Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) is about ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for everyone, at every age. Its first maternal-health target, SDG 3.1, sets a clear global ambition: by 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births.

What does SDG 3.1 measure?

SDG 3.1 has two indicators. The first tracks the maternal mortality ratio: the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The second measures the proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel, such as doctors, nurses or midwives trained to manage normal childbirth and identify or respond to complications.

These indicators reflect two connected priorities: preventing deaths during pregnancy, childbirth and the period after birth, and ensuring that people giving birth can access appropriate, skilled care.

Why maternal health matters

Most maternal deaths are caused by complications that can often be prevented or treated with timely, quality care. These include severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure disorders such as pre-eclampsia, complications from unsafe abortion and difficulties during labour. Access to antenatal care, skilled support during childbirth and postnatal care can help identify risks early and provide treatment when it is needed.

Maternal health also affects families and communities. A death or serious complication can have lasting consequences for children, partners and wider support networks. Improving maternal care is therefore essential not only to health, but also to equality, education and economic well-being.

Progress and remaining challenges

Progress towards SDG 3.1 has been uneven. Many people can now give birth with a skilled health professional present, but access to that care—and its quality—varies widely between and within countries. Preventable maternal deaths remain concentrated in settings where health systems face shortages of trained staff, equipment, medicines, transport and reliable referral services.

Barriers can include the cost of care, long distances to health facilities, conflict and displacement, discrimination, and shortages of culturally appropriate services. Even when a facility is available, poor-quality care, delays in treatment or a lack of respectful communication can put lives at risk. Young people, people living in poverty, rural communities and marginalised groups may face particular obstacles.

What needs to happen?

Meeting the 2030 target requires strong, accessible health systems and action on the conditions that shape health. Priorities include:

• making quality antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care available to everyone;
• recruiting, training and supporting midwives and other skilled health professionals;
• ensuring facilities have essential medicines, equipment and emergency obstetric care;
• providing affordable transport and effective referral systems for complications;
• respecting people’s rights, choices and dignity throughout pregnancy and childbirth;
• collecting reliable data to identify inequalities and guide improvements; and
• addressing social and economic barriers that prevent people from seeking care.

Communities also have an important role. Clear information, accessible services and respectful partnerships can help people make informed decisions and seek care without fear of judgement or discrimination.

A shared commitment

SDG 3.1 is more than a numerical target. It represents a commitment to ensuring that pregnancy and childbirth do not become life-threatening because essential care is unavailable or delayed. Reaching the target will require sustained investment, accountable health services and a focus on those most likely to be left behind. Every preventable maternal death is a reminder of work still to be done—and of the difference that timely, high-quality care can make.

 

Understanding SDG 3: Key Goals, Indicators, and Focus Areas

1. What is SDG Goal 3 and its indicators?
2. What is the goal of SDG 3 in simple words?
3. What are the main goals of Sustainable Development Goal 3?
4. What is SDG Goal 3 India?
5. What is Goal 3.1 of SDG?

What is SDG Goal 3 and its indicators?

SDG Goal 3, “Good Health and Well-being”, aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for everyone at every age. It covers priorities including reducing deaths, tackling disease, improving access to healthcare and supporting mental health. For SDG 3.1, which seeks to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, progress is measured using two indicators: the maternal mortality ratio and the proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel.

What is the goal of SDG 3 in simple words?

In simple terms, SDG 3 aims to help everyone live a healthy life and have access to the care and support they need to stay well, at every age. It includes reducing preventable deaths and illnesses, improving maternal and child health, tackling epidemics, and making quality healthcare more accessible and affordable.

What are the main goals of Sustainable Development Goal 3?

Sustainable Development Goal 3 aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for everyone at every age. Its targets cover a broad range of health priorities, including reducing maternal and child deaths, ending epidemics such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, tackling non-communicable diseases and substance misuse, and supporting mental health. It also seeks to improve road safety, expand access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, achieve universal health coverage, reduce deaths from pollution and hazardous chemicals, and strengthen access to vaccines, medicines and health services.

What is SDG Goal 3 India?

In India, SDG Goal 3 means working towards good health and well-being for everyone, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. It covers issues including maternal and child health, infectious and non-communicable diseases, road safety, mental health and access to quality healthcare. SDG Target 3.1 is specifically focused on reducing maternal deaths: globally, it aims to bring the maternal mortality ratio below 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. In India, progress towards this target is supported by efforts to improve antenatal care, skilled attendance at birth, emergency obstetric services and postnatal care, with a focus on reaching underserved communities.

What is Goal 3.1 of SDG?

SDG 3.1 is a target within Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all. It calls for the global maternal mortality ratio to fall to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. The target also highlights the importance of skilled health professionals attending births, helping ensure that people receive safe, timely and appropriate care during pregnancy and childbirth.