Maternal mortality ratio in Canada
Canada: Maternal mortality ratio was 11.01 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▲ Rising
Maternal mortality ratio in Canada, 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 Canada is 11.01 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Canada peaked at 12.77 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2008 and was at its lowest, 6 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 1987.
Canada ranks 141st of 185 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | 6 deaths per 100,000 live births | 7.15 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 7.72 deaths per 100,000 live births | 6.59 deaths per 100,000 live births | 8.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | 9.3 deaths per 100,000 live births | 12.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | 11 deaths per 100,000 live births | 12.58 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.01 deaths per 100,000 live births | 11.01 deaths per 100,000 live births | 11.01 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 138 Kazakhstan 13.38 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 139 Moldova 12.26 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 140 Portugal 11.8 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 142 Serbia 10.18 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 143 Romania 10.07 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 144 United Kingdom 9.84 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Canada
- 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)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
- Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 283,794 (2025)
- Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 266,829 (2025)
- Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 271,934 (2025)
- Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 258,927 (2025)
- Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 254,587 (2025)
- Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 245,661 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in Canada?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Canada was 11.01 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 Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 12.77 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2008.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 6 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987.
- How does Canada rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Canada ranks 141st out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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.