Maternal mortality ratio in Malawi
Malawi: Maternal mortality ratio was 380.67 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
380.67 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
24th
of 185 countries
All-time high
985.91 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1988
All-time low
326.37 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2006
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio in Malawi, 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 Malawi is 380.67 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and down 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Malawi peaked at 985.91 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1988 and was at its lowest, 326.37 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2006.
Malawi ranks 24th of 185 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Malawi, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 891.78 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 917.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 949.55 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 985.91 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 953.41 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.3% |
| 1990 | 970.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 960.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 944.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 897.78 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 1994 | 827.2 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.9% |
| 1995 | 721.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | -12.8% |
| 1996 | 681.52 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.5% |
| 1997 | 650.07 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 627.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 588.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 2000 | 573.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 530.91 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.4% |
| 2002 | 489.92 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.7% |
| 2003 | 445.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.1% |
| 2004 | 386.04 deaths per 100,000 live births | -13.3% |
| 2005 | 346.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.1% |
| 2006 | 326.37 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 351.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | +7.7% |
| 2008 | 419.65 deaths per 100,000 live births | +19.4% |
| 2009 | 475.55 deaths per 100,000 live births | +13.3% |
| 2010 | 512.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | +7.9% |
| 2011 | 495.72 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 502.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 472.6 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 442.25 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.4% |
| 2015 | 444.94 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 430.34 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 374.88 deaths per 100,000 live births | -12.9% |
| 2018 | 391.79 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 370.24 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.5% |
| 2020 | 380.67 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.8% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 380.67 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for low income countries, which is 440.23 deaths per 100,000 live births, 86% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 380.67 deaths per 100,000 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 339.15 deaths per 100,000 live births, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 939.65 deaths per 100,000 live births | 891.78 deaths per 100,000 live births | 985.91 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 786.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | 588.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | 970.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 434.55 deaths per 100,000 live births | 326.37 deaths per 100,000 live births | 573.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 443.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | 370.24 deaths per 100,000 live births | 512.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 380.67 deaths per 100,000 live births | 380.67 deaths per 100,000 live births | 380.67 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 21 Cameroon 437.75 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 22 Togo 399.04 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 23 Madagascar 391.52 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 25 Zimbabwe 356.76 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 26 Haiti 350.4 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 27 Eritrea 321.55 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % 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 0.0714 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % 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 Malawi?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Malawi was 380.67 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 985.91 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1988.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 326.37 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2006.
- How does Malawi rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Malawi ranks 24th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi 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
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About this data
The estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.