Number of maternal deaths in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Number of maternal deaths was 1,734 deaths in 2020. ▲ Rising
Number of maternal deaths in Zimbabwe, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
In 2020, number of maternal deaths in Zimbabwe stood at 1,734 deaths.
That represents a change of down 9.1% on the previous year and down 41.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in Zimbabwe peaked at 3,142 deaths in 2009 and was at its lowest, 1,188 deaths, in 1990.
Zimbabwe ranks 33rd of 185 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Number of maternal deaths in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 1,575 deaths | — |
| 1986 | 1,410 deaths | -10.5% |
| 1987 | 1,330 deaths | -5.7% |
| 1988 | 1,334 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 1,254 deaths | -6.0% |
| 1990 | 1,188 deaths | -5.3% |
| 1991 | 1,238 deaths | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 1,269 deaths | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 1,253 deaths | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 1,264 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 1,307 deaths | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 1,345 deaths | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 1,245 deaths | -7.4% |
| 1998 | 1,283 deaths | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 1,596 deaths | +24.4% |
| 2000 | 1,644 deaths | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 2,539 deaths | +54.5% |
| 2002 | 1,917 deaths | -24.5% |
| 2003 | 2,322 deaths | +21.2% |
| 2004 | 2,118 deaths | -8.8% |
| 2005 | 2,292 deaths | +8.2% |
| 2006 | 2,383 deaths | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 2,862 deaths | +20.1% |
| 2008 | 3,075 deaths | +7.4% |
| 2009 | 3,142 deaths | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 2,956 deaths | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 2,738 deaths | -7.4% |
| 2012 | 2,585 deaths | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 2,437 deaths | -5.7% |
| 2014 | 2,151 deaths | -11.7% |
| 2015 | 1,967 deaths | -8.6% |
| 2016 | 1,919 deaths | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 1,762 deaths | -8.2% |
| 2018 | 1,735 deaths | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 1,907 deaths | +9.9% |
| 2020 | 1,734 deaths | -9.1% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 1,734 deaths is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 485.35 deaths, 3.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 1,734 deaths is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,625 deaths, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of maternal deaths in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +54.5% | 1,644 deaths | 2,539 deaths |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,381 deaths | 1,254 deaths | 1,575 deaths | 5 |
| 1990s | 1,299 deaths | 1,188 deaths | 1,596 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,430 deaths | 1,644 deaths | 3,142 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,216 deaths | 1,735 deaths | 2,956 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,734 deaths | 1,734 deaths | 1,734 deaths | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 30 Philippines 1,935 deaths compare
- 31 Central African Republic 1,888 deaths compare
- 32 Yemen 1,852 deaths compare
- 34 Myanmar 1,658 deaths compare
- 35 South Africa 1,516 deaths compare
- 36 Mozambique 1,466 deaths compare
More health data for Zimbabwe
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 874.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,457 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.9632 % 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 0.0689 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9673 % 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 Zimbabwe?
- Number of maternal deaths in Zimbabwe was 1,734 deaths in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 3,142 deaths in 2009.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,188 deaths in 1990.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for number of maternal deaths?
- Zimbabwe ranks 33rd out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.
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About this data
Estimated number of maternal deaths in a given year.