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Maternal mortality ratio in South Africa

South Africa: Maternal mortality ratio was 126.83 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
126.83 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
up 7.2%
World rank
59th
of 185 countries
All-time high
231.92 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2004
All-time low
118.27 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2019
Years of data
36
1985–2020

Maternal mortality ratio in South Africa, 1985–2020

0501001502002501985200220201985: 168 deaths per 100,000 live births1986: 162.4 deaths per 100,000 live births1987: 163.5 deaths per 100,000 live births1988: 151.4 deaths per 100,000 live births1989: 159.8 deaths per 100,000 live births1990: 150.3 deaths per 100,000 live births1991: 152.7 deaths per 100,000 live births1992: 142.7 deaths per 100,000 live births1993: 141.7 deaths per 100,000 live births1994: 136.3 deaths per 100,000 live births1995: 132.7 deaths per 100,000 live births1996: 160.4 deaths per 100,000 live births1997: 159.7 deaths per 100,000 live births1998: 149.8 deaths per 100,000 live births1999: 152.6 deaths per 100,000 live births2000: 173 deaths per 100,000 live births2001: 168.3 deaths per 100,000 live births2002: 193.4 deaths per 100,000 live births2003: 205 deaths per 100,000 live births2004: 231.9 deaths per 100,000 live births2005: 220.6 deaths per 100,000 live births2006: 208.3 deaths per 100,000 live births2007: 218.1 deaths per 100,000 live births2008: 215.6 deaths per 100,000 live births2009: 225.3 deaths per 100,000 live births2010: 219.1 deaths per 100,000 live births2011: 193.7 deaths per 100,000 live births2012: 164.4 deaths per 100,000 live births2013: 151 deaths per 100,000 live births2014: 141.2 deaths per 100,000 live births2015: 141.2 deaths per 100,000 live births2016: 126.9 deaths per 100,000 live births2017: 133.4 deaths per 100,000 live births2018: 125.4 deaths per 100,000 live births2019: 118.3 deaths per 100,000 live births2020: 126.8 deaths per 100,000 live births

Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.

Analysis

In 2020, maternal mortality ratio in South Africa stood at 126.83 deaths per 100,000 live births.

The figure is up 7.2% on the previous year and down 42.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in South Africa peaked at 231.92 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2004 and was at its lowest, 118.27 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2019.

That places South Africa 59th out of 185 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

Maternal mortality ratio in South Africa, year by year

Year deaths per 100,000 live births Change
1985 168.02 deaths per 100,000 live births —
1986 162.41 deaths per 100,000 live births -3.3%
1987 163.53 deaths per 100,000 live births +0.7%
1988 151.37 deaths per 100,000 live births -7.4%
1989 159.8 deaths per 100,000 live births +5.6%
1990 150.3 deaths per 100,000 live births -5.9%
1991 152.75 deaths per 100,000 live births +1.6%
1992 142.72 deaths per 100,000 live births -6.6%
1993 141.67 deaths per 100,000 live births -0.7%
1994 136.32 deaths per 100,000 live births -3.8%
1995 132.7 deaths per 100,000 live births -2.7%
1996 160.38 deaths per 100,000 live births +20.9%
1997 159.74 deaths per 100,000 live births -0.4%
1998 149.84 deaths per 100,000 live births -6.2%
1999 152.61 deaths per 100,000 live births +1.8%
2000 173.02 deaths per 100,000 live births +13.4%
2001 168.28 deaths per 100,000 live births -2.7%
2002 193.37 deaths per 100,000 live births +14.9%
2003 205.04 deaths per 100,000 live births +6.0%
2004 231.92 deaths per 100,000 live births +13.1%
2005 220.65 deaths per 100,000 live births -4.9%
2006 208.3 deaths per 100,000 live births -5.6%
2007 218.05 deaths per 100,000 live births +4.7%
2008 215.58 deaths per 100,000 live births -1.1%
2009 225.26 deaths per 100,000 live births +4.5%
2010 219.06 deaths per 100,000 live births -2.8%
2011 193.74 deaths per 100,000 live births -11.6%
2012 164.41 deaths per 100,000 live births -15.1%
2013 150.95 deaths per 100,000 live births -8.2%
2014 141.22 deaths per 100,000 live births -6.4%
2015 141.16 deaths per 100,000 live births -0.0%
2016 126.93 deaths per 100,000 live births -10.1%
2017 133.44 deaths per 100,000 live births +5.1%
2018 125.4 deaths per 100,000 live births -6.0%
2019 118.27 deaths per 100,000 live births -5.7%
2020 126.83 deaths per 100,000 live births +7.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 161.03 deaths per 100,000 live births 151.37 deaths per 100,000 live births 168.02 deaths per 100,000 live births 5
1990s 147.9 deaths per 100,000 live births 132.7 deaths per 100,000 live births 160.38 deaths per 100,000 live births 10
2000s 205.95 deaths per 100,000 live births 168.28 deaths per 100,000 live births 231.92 deaths per 100,000 live births 10
2010s 151.46 deaths per 100,000 live births 118.27 deaths per 100,000 live births 219.06 deaths per 100,000 live births 10
2020s 126.83 deaths per 100,000 live births 126.83 deaths per 100,000 live births 126.83 deaths per 100,000 live births 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 56 Zambia 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
  2. 57 Belize 129.79 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
  3. 58 Mozambique 127.11 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
  4. 60 Laos 126.06 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
  5. 61 Tonga 125.64 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
  6. 62 Bangladesh 123.03 deaths per 100,000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is maternal mortality ratio in South Africa?
Maternal mortality ratio in South Africa was 126.83 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 South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 231.92 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2004.
What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 118.27 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019.
How does South Africa rank for maternal mortality ratio?
South Africa ranks 59th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 42.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa 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.

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Maternal mortality ratio in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/maternal-mortality-ratio-vs-gdp-per-capita/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Maternal mortality ratio
Unit
deaths per 100,000 live births
Source
UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 6,660 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed

The estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.