Maternal mortality ratio in Uganda
Uganda: Maternal mortality ratio was 284.14 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
284.14 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
28th
of 185 countries
All-time high
757.21 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1985
All-time low
283.32 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2018
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio in Uganda, 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 Uganda is 284.14 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and down 23.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Uganda peaked at 757.21 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985 and was at its lowest, 283.32 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2018.
That places Uganda 28th out of 185 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Uganda, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 757.21 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 718.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.1% |
| 1987 | 671.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.6% |
| 1988 | 633.02 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.7% |
| 1989 | 614.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 602.29 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 594.17 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 578.47 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 583.11 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 561.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 541.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 526.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 518.22 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 486.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 1999 | 467.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 461.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 452.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 452.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 448.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 442.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 435.36 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 416.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 381.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 2008 | 390.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 391.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 371.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 2011 | 358.52 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 334.37 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.7% |
| 2013 | 310.61 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 331.56 deaths per 100,000 live births | +6.7% |
| 2015 | 318.52 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 310.73 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 312.86 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 283.32 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.4% |
| 2019 | 291.64 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 284.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.6% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 284.14 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for low income countries, which is 440.23 deaths per 100,000 live births, 65% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 284.14 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 339.15 deaths per 100,000 live births, 84% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 678.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | 614.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | 757.21 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 546 deaths per 100,000 live births | 467.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | 602.29 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 427.34 deaths per 100,000 live births | 381.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | 461.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 322.41 deaths per 100,000 live births | 283.32 deaths per 100,000 live births | 371.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 284.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | 284.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | 284.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 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
- 29 Congo 282.39 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 30 Sudan 270.36 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 31 Ethiopia 266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Uganda
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.34 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 853.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,666 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 111 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.28 % 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 0.0787 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.34 % 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 Uganda?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Uganda was 284.14 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 757.21 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 283.32 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2018.
- How does Uganda rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Uganda ranks 28th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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.