Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in New Zealand
New Zealand: Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff was 7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
157th
of 185 countries
All-time high
16.99 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1988
All-time low
7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2020
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in New Zealand, 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 vs. births attended by skilled health staff in New Zealand is 7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 28.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in New Zealand peaked at 16.99 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1988 and was at its lowest, 7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2020.
New Zealand ranks 157th 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 vs. births attended by skilled health staff in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 16.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 15.45 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.6% |
| 1987 | 16.1 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 16.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 16.49 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 1990 | 16.25 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 14.26 deaths per 100,000 live births | -12.2% |
| 1992 | 13.06 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.4% |
| 1993 | 12.79 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 12.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 13.88 deaths per 100,000 live births | +10.4% |
| 1996 | 13.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 13.13 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 12.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 12.28 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 11.09 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.7% |
| 2001 | 11.02 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 10.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.2% |
| 2003 | 10.36 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 11.51 deaths per 100,000 live births | +11.1% |
| 2005 | 10.01 deaths per 100,000 live births | -13.1% |
| 2006 | 10.79 deaths per 100,000 live births | +7.8% |
| 2007 | 10.26 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.9% |
| 2008 | 9.55 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.9% |
| 2009 | 10.18 deaths per 100,000 live births | +6.6% |
| 2010 | 9.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 10.41 deaths per 100,000 live births | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 9.58 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.9% |
| 2013 | 7.86 deaths per 100,000 live births | -18.0% |
| 2014 | 7.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 8.65 deaths per 100,000 live births | +8.4% |
| 2016 | 7.81 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.7% |
| 2017 | 7.39 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.4% |
| 2018 | 7.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | +6.6% |
| 2019 | 7.22 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.4% |
| 2020 | 7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 16.39 deaths per 100,000 live births | 15.45 deaths per 100,000 live births | 16.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 13.48 deaths per 100,000 live births | 12.28 deaths per 100,000 live births | 16.25 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | 9.55 deaths per 100,000 live births | 11.51 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.47 deaths per 100,000 live births | 7.22 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10.41 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | 7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | 7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 154 Switzerland 7.38 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 155 Kuwait 7.17 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 156 Bulgaria 7.09 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 158 Luxembourg 6.49 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 159 Montenegro 6.17 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 160 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.67 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % 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 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % 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 vs. births attended by skilled health staff in New Zealand?
- Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in New Zealand was 7.03 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 vs. births attended by skilled health staff recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 16.99 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1988.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.
- How does New Zealand rank for maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff?
- New Zealand ranks 157th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff. 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.