Maternal mortality ratio in Belgium
Belgium: Maternal mortality ratio was 4.76 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Maternal mortality ratio in Belgium, 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 Belgium is 4.76 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.3% on the previous year and down 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Belgium peaked at 8.88 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1995 and was at its lowest, 4.6 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2019.
Belgium ranks 167th of 185 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Belgium, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 8.51 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 8.24 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.2% |
| 1987 | 8.13 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 7.84 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 7.81 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 7.88 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 7.64 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 7.92 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 8.11 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 8.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 8.88 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 8.87 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 8.52 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.0% |
| 1998 | 8.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 8.25 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.5% |
| 2000 | 8.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 8.01 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 7.83 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 7.4 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.5% |
| 2004 | 6.94 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.3% |
| 2005 | 6.75 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 6.41 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 6.69 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.4% |
| 2008 | 6.19 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.6% |
| 2009 | 6.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 5.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 5.79 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 5.26 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.2% |
| 2013 | 5.55 deaths per 100,000 live births | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 5.26 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 5.2 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 4.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 4.91 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 4.91 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 4.6 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 2020 | 4.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.3% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 4.76 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.63 deaths per 100,000 live births, 62% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 4.76 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.23 deaths per 100,000 live births, 66% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.1 deaths per 100,000 live births | 7.81 deaths per 100,000 live births | 8.51 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 8.33 deaths per 100,000 live births | 7.64 deaths per 100,000 live births | 8.88 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.06 deaths per 100,000 live births | 6.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | 8.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.6 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 164 Ireland 4.98 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 165 Slovakia 4.82 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 166 Croatia 4.82 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 168 Denmark 4.66 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 169 Italy 4.59 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 170 Slovenia 4.53 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Belgium
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2923 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,160 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 59 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.11 % 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 0.0229 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.96 % 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 Belgium?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Belgium was 4.76 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 Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 8.88 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1995.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.6 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019.
- How does Belgium rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Belgium ranks 167th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium 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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About this data
The estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.