Maternal mortality ratio (UN MMEIG) in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Maternal mortality ratio (UN MMEIG) was 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
up 63.9%
World rank
109th
of 185 countries
All-time high
34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2020
All-time low
15.65 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2017
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio in Puerto Rico, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for maternal mortality ratio in Puerto Rico is 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 63.9% on the previous year and up 61.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Puerto Rico peaked at 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020 and was at its lowest, 15.65 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2017.
That places Puerto Rico 109th out of 185 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio (UN MMEIG) in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 31.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 30.44 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 1987 | 27.31 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.3% |
| 1988 | 27.52 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 26.84 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 26.78 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 27.56 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 27.47 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 25.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.6% |
| 1994 | 26.06 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 26.24 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 26.02 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 25.39 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 22.96 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.6% |
| 1999 | 22.39 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 21.87 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 22.07 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 23.11 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 20.25 deaths per 100,000 live births | -12.4% |
| 2004 | 19.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 19.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 20.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 20.71 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 21.65 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 21.83 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 21.24 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 21 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 17.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | -14.4% |
| 2013 | 18.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 18.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 18.28 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 17.78 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 15.65 deaths per 100,000 live births | -12.0% |
| 2018 | 17.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | +14.5% |
| 2019 | 20.95 deaths per 100,000 live births | +16.8% |
| 2020 | 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births | +63.9% |
Puerto Rico compared with similar countries
- Puerto Rico's 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births is above the median for high income countries, which is 7.63 deaths per 100,000 live births, 4.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Puerto Rico's 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 69.83 deaths per 100,000 live births, 49% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality ratio (UN MMEIG) in Puerto Rico 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 | +63.9% | 20.95 deaths per 100,000 live births | 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 28.79 deaths per 100,000 live births | 26.84 deaths per 100,000 live births | 31.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 25.65 deaths per 100,000 live births | 22.39 deaths per 100,000 live births | 27.56 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.08 deaths per 100,000 live births | 19.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | 23.11 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.74 deaths per 100,000 live births | 15.65 deaths per 100,000 live births | 21.24 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births | 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births | 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
- 106 Barbados 39.11 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 107 Fiji 38.05 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 108 Tunisia 36.63 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 110 Uzbekistan 30.18 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 111 Syria 29.92 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 112 Sri Lanka 28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Puerto Rico
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -20 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4 (2100)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.4804 % 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 0.0145 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.8484 % 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 0.0152 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, annual growth rate -6.19 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in Puerto Rico?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Puerto Rico was 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.65 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Puerto Rico ranks 109th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 61.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Puerto Rico data come from?
- The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.