Number of maternal deaths in Australia
Australia: Number of maternal deaths was 8.71 deaths in 2020. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths in Australia, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of maternal deaths in Australia is 8.71 deaths, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 43.9% on the previous year and down 46.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in Australia peaked at 24.12 deaths in 1994 and was at its lowest, 8.71 deaths, in 2020.
That places Australia 130th out of 185 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Number of maternal deaths in Australia, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 19.72 deaths | — |
| 1986 | 19.46 deaths | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 20.41 deaths | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 20.93 deaths | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 21.79 deaths | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 21.55 deaths | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 22.67 deaths | +5.2% |
| 1992 | 23.12 deaths | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 23.29 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 24.12 deaths | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 20.62 deaths | -14.5% |
| 1996 | 19.7 deaths | -4.5% |
| 1997 | 19.71 deaths | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 18.59 deaths | -5.7% |
| 1999 | 17.8 deaths | -4.3% |
| 2000 | 16.67 deaths | -6.4% |
| 2001 | 14.69 deaths | -11.9% |
| 2002 | 13.92 deaths | -5.2% |
| 2003 | 13.79 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 12.95 deaths | -6.1% |
| 2005 | 12.09 deaths | -6.6% |
| 2006 | 12.33 deaths | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 14.71 deaths | +19.3% |
| 2008 | 14.57 deaths | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 15.98 deaths | +9.7% |
| 2010 | 16.36 deaths | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 17.81 deaths | +8.9% |
| 2012 | 17.93 deaths | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 18.34 deaths | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 16.17 deaths | -11.8% |
| 2015 | 15.99 deaths | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 15.99 deaths | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 14.89 deaths | -6.9% |
| 2018 | 14.16 deaths | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 15.51 deaths | +9.6% |
| 2020 | 8.71 deaths | -43.9% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 8.71 deaths is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.26 deaths, 1.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Australia's 8.71 deaths is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 32.48 deaths, 27% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of maternal deaths in Australia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -43.9% | 15.51 deaths | 8.71 deaths |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 20.46 deaths | 19.46 deaths | 21.79 deaths | 5 |
| 1990s | 21.12 deaths | 17.8 deaths | 24.12 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.17 deaths | 12.09 deaths | 16.67 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.32 deaths | 14.16 deaths | 18.34 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.71 deaths | 8.71 deaths | 8.71 deaths | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 906.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 215 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % 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 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths in Australia?
- Number of maternal deaths in Australia was 8.71 deaths in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.12 deaths in 1994.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.71 deaths in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for number of maternal deaths?
- Australia ranks 130th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of maternal deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated number of maternal deaths in a given year.