Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Brazil
Brazil: Share of births attended by skilled health staff was 98.4% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Brazil, 1991–2020
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
Brazil recorded 98.4% for share of births attended by skilled health staff in 2020.
The figure is down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of births attended by skilled health staff in Brazil peaked at 99.0% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 69.5%, in 1991.
Brazil ranks 83rd of 169 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Brazil, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 69.5% | — |
| 1996 | 87.3% | +25.6% |
| 1997 | 98.6% | +12.9% |
| 1998 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 98.3% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 98.5% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 98.4% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 98.6% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 97.0% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 98.6% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 98.8% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 98.9% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 98.9% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 99.0% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 99.0% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 98.0% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 98.4% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 98.2% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 98.6% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 98.4% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 98.4% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 90.5% | 69.5% | 98.6% | 5 |
| 2000s | 98.4% | 97.0% | 98.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 98.6% | 98.0% | 99.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.4% | 98.4% | 98.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More health data for Brazil
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.86 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1539 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,496 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,476 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0124 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 5.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0081 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2,746 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of births attended by skilled health staff in Brazil?
- Share of births attended by skilled health staff in Brazil was 98.4% in 2020, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of births attended by skilled health staff recorded in Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 99.0% in 2011.
- What is the lowest share of births attended by skilled health staff recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.5% in 1991.
- How does Brazil rank for share of births attended by skilled health staff?
- Brazil ranks 83rd out of 169 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of births attended by skilled health staff rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brazil data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of births attended by skilled health staff. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Skilled health staff refers to professionals trained to give the necessary supervision, care, and advice to women during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period; to conduct deliveries on their own; and to care for newborns.