Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births) in South Asia
South Asia: Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births) was 120 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Maternal mortality ratio in South Asia, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for maternal mortality ratio in South Asia is 120, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.7% on the previous year and down 37.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in South Asia peaked at 697 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 120, in 2023.
South Asia ranks 21st of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births) in South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 697 | — |
| 1986 | 659 | -5.5% |
| 1987 | 633 | -3.9% |
| 1988 | 607 | -4.1% |
| 1989 | 585 | -3.6% |
| 1990 | 567 | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 555 | -2.1% |
| 1992 | 534 | -3.8% |
| 1993 | 522 | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 509 | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 496 | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 481 | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 466 | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 451 | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 432 | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 415 | -3.9% |
| 2001 | 396 | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 376 | -5.1% |
| 2003 | 357 | -5.1% |
| 2004 | 338 | -5.3% |
| 2005 | 318 | -5.9% |
| 2006 | 296 | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 278 | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 259 | -6.8% |
| 2009 | 243 | -6.2% |
| 2010 | 229 | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 215 | -6.1% |
| 2012 | 203 | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 192 | -5.4% |
| 2014 | 182 | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 173 | -4.9% |
| 2016 | 163 | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 155 | -4.9% |
| 2018 | 148 | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 142 | -4.1% |
| 2020 | 145 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 194 | +33.8% |
| 2022 | 130 | -33.0% |
| 2023 | 120 | -7.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births) in South Asia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +33.8% | 145 | 194 |
| 2022 | -33.0% | 194 | 130 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 636.2 | 585 | 697 | 5 |
| 1990s | 501.3 | 432 | 567 | 10 |
| 2000s | 327.6 | 243 | 415 | 10 |
| 2010s | 180.2 | 142 | 229 | 10 |
| 2020s | 147.25 | 120 | 194 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More health data for South Asia
- Population ages 15-19, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per capita 0.0457 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per capita 0.022 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 2.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0182 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, annual growth rate -0.4429 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 2.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, annual growth rate 2.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in South Asia?
- Maternal mortality ratio in South Asia was 120 in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 697 in 1985.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 120 in 2023.
- How does South Asia rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- South Asia ranks 21st out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia 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).