Maternal mortality ratio (per 100 000 live births) in Canada
Canada: Maternal mortality ratio was 11.78 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Maternal mortality ratio in Canada, 1985–2023
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
Canada recorded 11.78 for maternal mortality ratio in 2023.
That represents a change of down 19.5% on the previous year and up 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Canada peaked at 16.65 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.05, in 1987.
Canada ranks 141st of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 7.25 | — |
| 1986 | 7.21 | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 7.05 | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 7.18 | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 7.59 | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 7.47 | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 7.71 | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 7.77 | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 8.03 | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 8 | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 8.27 | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 8.56 | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 8.41 | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 8.56 | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 8.83 | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 8.99 | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 9.54 | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 9.96 | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 10.26 | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 10.34 | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 11.17 | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 11.21 | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 11.4 | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 11.9 | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 12.06 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 11.38 | -5.6% |
| 2011 | 11.33 | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 11.47 | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 11.14 | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 11.51 | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 11.31 | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 12 | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 12.26 | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 12.58 | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 12.27 | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 16.65 | +35.8% |
| 2021 | 13.58 | -18.4% |
| 2022 | 14.64 | +7.8% |
| 2023 | 11.78 | -19.5% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 11.78 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7.67, 1.5× the median. (64 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality ratio in Canada 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 | +35.8% | 12.27 | 16.65 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.26 | 7.05 | 7.59 | 5 |
| 1990s | 8.16 | 7.47 | 8.83 | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.68 | 8.99 | 12.06 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.73 | 11.14 | 12.58 | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.16 | 11.78 | 16.65 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More health data for Canada
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.79 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.3588 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,083 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 385 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5214 % 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 0.023 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.5024 % 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 maternal mortality ratio in Canada?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Canada was 11.78 in 2023, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 16.65 in 2020.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.05 in 1987.
- How does Canada rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Canada ranks 141st out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio (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-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).