Lifetime risk of maternal death in New Zealand
New Zealand: Lifetime risk of maternal death was 0.0107 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Lifetime risk of maternal death in New Zealand, 1985–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, lifetime risk of maternal death in New Zealand stood at 0.0107. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 68.9% on the previous year and down 22.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lifetime risk of maternal death in New Zealand peaked at 0.0389 in 1988 and was at its lowest, 0.0107, in 2023.
New Zealand ranks 153rd of 194 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Lifetime risk of maternal death in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.038 | — |
| 1986 | 0.0351 | -7.6% |
| 1987 | 0.0386 | +10.0% |
| 1988 | 0.0389 | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 0.0373 | -4.2% |
| 1990 | 0.037 | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 0.0334 | -9.7% |
| 1992 | 0.0295 | -11.9% |
| 1993 | 0.0276 | -6.5% |
| 1994 | 0.0245 | -11.0% |
| 1995 | 0.0262 | +6.6% |
| 1996 | 0.0249 | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 0.0231 | -7.0% |
| 1998 | 0.0206 | -10.8% |
| 1999 | 0.021 | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 0.0189 | -10.1% |
| 2001 | 0.0179 | -5.4% |
| 2002 | 0.0174 | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 0.018 | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 0.018 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 0.0177 | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 0.0173 | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 0.019 | +9.8% |
| 2008 | 0.018 | -5.3% |
| 2009 | 0.0178 | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 0.0178 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.0174 | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 0.016 | -8.4% |
| 2013 | 0.0137 | -14.3% |
| 2014 | 0.0118 | -13.5% |
| 2015 | 0.0133 | +12.3% |
| 2016 | 0.0122 | -8.4% |
| 2017 | 0.0118 | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 0.0113 | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 0.0116 | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 0.0112 | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 0.0115 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 0.0344 | +198.6% |
| 2023 | 0.0107 | -68.9% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 0.0107 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0091, 1.2× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 0.0107 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1735, 6% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Lifetime risk of maternal death in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +198.6% | 0.0115 | 0.0344 |
| 2023 | -68.9% | 0.0344 | 0.0107 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0376 | 0.0351 | 0.0389 | 5 |
| 1990s | 0.0268 | 0.0206 | 0.037 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.018 | 0.0173 | 0.019 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0137 | 0.0113 | 0.0178 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0169 | 0.0107 | 0.0344 | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 33 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0291 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lifetime risk of maternal death in New Zealand?
- Lifetime risk of maternal death in New Zealand was 0.0107 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lifetime risk of maternal death recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0389 in 1988.
- What is the lowest lifetime risk of maternal death recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0107 in 2023.
- How does New Zealand rank for lifetime risk of maternal death?
- New Zealand ranks 153rd out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is lifetime risk of maternal death rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.
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