Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births) in World
World: Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births) was 197 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Maternal mortality ratio in World, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
In 2023, maternal mortality ratio in World stood at 197. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and down 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in World peaked at 460 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 197, in 2023.
That places World 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it 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 World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 460 | — |
| 1986 | 438 | -4.8% |
| 1987 | 429 | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 414 | -3.5% |
| 1989 | 401 | -3.1% |
| 1990 | 391 | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 395 | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 395 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 389 | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 382 | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 371 | -2.9% |
| 1996 | 366 | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 358 | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 360 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 340 | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 328 | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 321 | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 311 | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 301 | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 291 | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 283 | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 276 | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 269 | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 264 | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 258 | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 253 | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 247 | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 239 | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 235 | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 231 | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 228 | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 220 | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 215 | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 211 | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 207 | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 211 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 242 | +14.7% |
| 2022 | 203 | -16.1% |
| 2023 | 197 | -3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 428.4 | 401 | 460 | 5 |
| 1990s | 374.7 | 340 | 395 | 10 |
| 2000s | 290.2 | 258 | 328 | 10 |
| 2010s | 228.6 | 207 | 253 | 10 |
| 2020s | 213.25 | 197 | 242 | 4 |
Countries ranked near World
- 13 Democratic Republic of Congo 427 compare
- 14 Burundi 392 compare
- 15 Mauritania 381 compare
- 16 Mali 367 compare
- 17 Cote d'Ivoire 359 compare
- 18 Zimbabwe 358 compare
- 19 Gambia 354 compare
- 19 Sierra Leone 354 compare
More health data for World
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2,458 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.47 % 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 0.0381 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.6031 % 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 0.0401 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, annual growth rate -0.915 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per capita 0.04 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in World?
- Maternal mortality ratio in World was 197 in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 460 in 1985.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 197 in 2023.
- How does World rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- World ranks 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this World 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
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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).