Maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho
Lesotho: Maternal mortality ratio was 478.02 per 100,000 live births in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
478.02 per 100,000 live births
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
11th
of 212 countries
All-time high
1,387 per 100,000 live births
in 2009
All-time low
412.62 per 100,000 live births
in 2000
Years of data
24
2000–2023
Maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in per 100,000 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho is 478.02 per 100,000 live births, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and down 44.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho peaked at 1,387 per 100,000 live births in 2009 and was at its lowest, 412.62 per 100,000 live births, in 2000.
That places Lesotho 11th out of 212 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 412.62 per 100,000 live births | — |
| 2001 | 464.79 per 100,000 live births | +12.6% |
| 2002 | 484.13 per 100,000 live births | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 508.24 per 100,000 live births | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 498.6 per 100,000 live births | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 549.49 per 100,000 live births | +10.2% |
| 2006 | 696.19 per 100,000 live births | +26.7% |
| 2007 | 891.42 per 100,000 live births | +28.0% |
| 2008 | 1,205 per 100,000 live births | +35.2% |
| 2009 | 1,387 per 100,000 live births | +15.1% |
| 2010 | 1,311 per 100,000 live births | -5.5% |
| 2011 | 1,210 per 100,000 live births | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 1,000 per 100,000 live births | -17.3% |
| 2013 | 854.92 per 100,000 live births | -14.5% |
| 2014 | 707.14 per 100,000 live births | -17.3% |
| 2015 | 593.86 per 100,000 live births | -16.0% |
| 2016 | 517.54 per 100,000 live births | -12.9% |
| 2017 | 468.27 per 100,000 live births | -9.5% |
| 2018 | 491.13 per 100,000 live births | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 467.01 per 100,000 live births | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 528.73 per 100,000 live births | +13.2% |
| 2021 | 576.89 per 100,000 live births | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 476.93 per 100,000 live births | -17.3% |
| 2023 | 478.02 per 100,000 live births | +0.2% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 478.02 per 100,000 live births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 142 per 100,000 live births, 3.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 478.02 per 100,000 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 258.23 per 100,000 live births, 1.9× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 709.8 per 100,000 live births | 412.62 per 100,000 live births | 1,387 per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 762.05 per 100,000 live births | 467.01 per 100,000 live births | 1,311 per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 515.14 per 100,000 live births | 476.93 per 100,000 live births | 576.89 per 100,000 live births | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 8 Benin 518.23 per 100,000 live births compare
- 9 Guinea-Bissau 505.37 per 100,000 live births compare
- 10 Guinea 494.12 per 100,000 live births compare
- 12 Madagascar 445.43 per 100,000 live births compare
- 13 Democratic Republic of the Congo 427.05 per 100,000 live births compare
- 14 Burundi 391.98 per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Lesotho
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4669 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,227 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 382 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2020)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.8108 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0548 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7473 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho was 478.02 per 100,000 live births in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1,387 per 100,000 live births in 2009.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 412.62 per 100,000 live births in 2000.
- How does Lesotho rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Lesotho ranks 11th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).