Maternal mortality ratio in North America
North America: Maternal mortality ratio was 16 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Maternal mortality ratio in North America, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for maternal mortality ratio in North America is 16, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.0% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in North America peaked at 30 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 11, in 1985.
North America ranks 40th of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 11 | — |
| 1986 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 12 | +9.1% |
| 2001 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 13 | +8.3% |
| 2003 | 13 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 13 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 13 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 13 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 13 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 14 | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 14 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 14 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 15 | +7.1% |
| 2012 | 15 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 16 | +6.7% |
| 2014 | 16 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 17 | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 17 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 17 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 17 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 17 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 22 | +29.4% |
| 2021 | 30 | +36.4% |
| 2022 | 20 | -33.3% |
| 2023 | 16 | -20.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11 | 11 | 11 | 5 |
| 1990s | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| 2000s | 13 | 12 | 14 | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.1 | 14 | 17 | 10 |
| 2020s | 22 | 16 | 30 | 4 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 37 Ethiopia 195 compare
- 38 Timor-Leste 192 compare
- 39 Papua New Guinea 189 compare
- 40 Myanmar 185 compare
- 41 Angola 183 compare
- 42 Comoros 179 compare
- 43 Equatorial Guinea 174 compare
More health data for North America
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0865 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 4.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0175 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -0.6988 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.0822 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -0.7076 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in North America?
- Maternal mortality ratio in North America was 16 in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 30 in 2021.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 11 in 1985.
- How does North America rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- North America ranks 40th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Maternal mortality ratio is the number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination per 100,000 live births. The data are estimated with a regression model using information on the proportion of maternal deaths among non-AIDS deaths in women ages 15-49, fertility, birth attendants, and GDP measured using purchasing power parities (PPPs).