Lifetime risk of maternal death in Malawi
Malawi: Lifetime risk of maternal death was 0.8835 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0.8835
Change on year
down 7.6%
World rank
31st
of 194 countries
All-time high
7.25
in 1985
All-time low
0.8835
in 2023
Years of data
39
1985–2023
Lifetime risk of maternal death in Malawi, 1985–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lifetime risk of maternal death in Malawi is 0.8835, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 7.6% on the previous year and down 57.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lifetime risk of maternal death in Malawi peaked at 7.25 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 0.8835, in 2023.
That places Malawi 31st out of 194 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Lifetime risk of maternal death in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 7.25 | — |
| 1986 | 7.16 | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 6.96 | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 7.11 | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 6.93 | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 6.76 | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 6.53 | -3.4% |
| 1992 | 6.23 | -4.5% |
| 1993 | 6 | -3.7% |
| 1994 | 5.46 | -9.0% |
| 1995 | 4.5 | -17.5% |
| 1996 | 4.05 | -10.2% |
| 1997 | 3.79 | -6.4% |
| 1998 | 3.68 | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 3.21 | -12.8% |
| 2000 | 2.8 | -12.8% |
| 2001 | 2.47 | -11.9% |
| 2002 | 2.23 | -9.4% |
| 2003 | 1.93 | -13.6% |
| 2004 | 1.71 | -11.2% |
| 2005 | 1.62 | -5.6% |
| 2006 | 1.63 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 1.88 | +15.5% |
| 2008 | 2.4 | +27.5% |
| 2009 | 2.81 | +17.0% |
| 2010 | 2.78 | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 2.56 | -8.0% |
| 2012 | 2.29 | -10.5% |
| 2013 | 2.05 | -10.1% |
| 2014 | 1.78 | -13.5% |
| 2015 | 1.65 | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 1.41 | -14.8% |
| 2017 | 1.25 | -10.9% |
| 2018 | 1.16 | -7.6% |
| 2019 | 1.1 | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 1.07 | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 1.17 | +8.8% |
| 2022 | 0.9565 | -17.9% |
| 2023 | 0.8835 | -7.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0.8835 is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.39, 64% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0.8835 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.08, 82% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.08 | 6.93 | 7.25 | 5 |
| 1990s | 5.02 | 3.21 | 6.76 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.15 | 1.62 | 2.81 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8 | 1.1 | 2.78 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.02 | 0.8835 | 1.17 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 6,399 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0714 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0718 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lifetime risk of maternal death in Malawi?
- Lifetime risk of maternal death in Malawi was 0.8835 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lifetime risk of maternal death recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 7.25 in 1985.
- What is the lowest lifetime risk of maternal death recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8835 in 2023.
- How does Malawi rank for lifetime risk of maternal death?
- Malawi ranks 31st out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is lifetime risk of maternal death rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 57.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Lifetime risk of maternal death. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).