Lifetime risk of maternal death in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Lifetime risk of maternal death was 1.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Lifetime risk of maternal death in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lifetime risk of maternal death in Sub-Saharan Africa is 1.8%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
The figure is down 2.2% on the previous year and down 37.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lifetime risk of maternal death in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 6.5% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 2023.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 6th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Lifetime risk of maternal death in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 6.5% | — |
| 1986 | 6.3% | -4.2% |
| 1987 | 6.2% | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 5.8% | -6.0% |
| 1989 | 5.7% | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 5.5% | -2.8% |
| 1991 | 5.3% | -4.0% |
| 1992 | 5.2% | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 5.0% | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 4.7% | -7.5% |
| 1995 | 4.6% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 4.5% | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 4.3% | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 4.2% | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 4.0% | -5.1% |
| 2000 | 3.8% | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 3.5% | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 3.3% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 3.3% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 3.2% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 3.2% | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 3.0% | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 2.7% | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 2.6% | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 2.4% | -5.4% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 2.0% | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 2.1% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 1.8% | -10.9% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | -2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.1% | 5.7% | 6.5% | 5 |
| 1990s | 4.7% | 4.0% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 3.2% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.7% | 2.2% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 1.8% | 2.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 3 Nigeria 4.1% compare
- 4 Somalia 3.4% compare
- 5 Liberia 2.5% compare
- 6 Afghanistan 2.5% compare
- 7 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.5% compare
- 8 South Sudan 2.4% compare
- 9 Benin 2.3% compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 65 and above, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0125 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, annual growth rate 3.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, female, per capita 0.5015 units per person (2025)
- Population, female, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, per capita 0.0041 units per person (2025)
- Population, female, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, per capita 0.0323 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.0181 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lifetime risk of maternal death in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Lifetime risk of maternal death in Sub-Saharan Africa was 1.8% in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest lifetime risk of maternal death recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6.5% in 1985.
- What is the lowest lifetime risk of maternal death recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 2023.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for lifetime risk of maternal death?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 6th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is lifetime risk of maternal death rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Lifetime risk of maternal death (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Life time risk of maternal death is the probability that a 15-year-old female will die eventually from a maternal cause assuming that current levels of fertility and mortality (including maternal mortality) do not change in the future, taking into account competing causes of death.