Maternal mortality in Australia
Australia: Maternal mortality was 2.94 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
2.94
Change on year
down 42.2%
World rank
182nd
of 189 countries
All-time high
643
in 1875
All-time low
2.94
in 2020
Years of data
119
1875–2020
Maternal mortality in Australia, 1875–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, maternal mortality in Australia stood at 2.94. That is the lowest value across all 119 years on record.
The figure is down 42.2% on the previous year and down 46.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality in Australia peaked at 643 in 1875 and was at its lowest, 2.94, in 2020.
That places Australia 182nd out of 189 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Maternal mortality in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1875 | 643 | — |
| 1885 | 592 | -7.9% |
| 1895 | 560 | -5.4% |
| 1903 | 609 | +8.8% |
| 1906 | 538 | -11.7% |
| 1907 | 556.43 | +3.4% |
| 1908 | 543.28 | -2.4% |
| 1909 | 505.82 | -6.9% |
| 1910 | 505.13 | -0.1% |
| 1911 | 503.3 | -0.4% |
| 1912 | 483.89 | -3.9% |
| 1913 | 488.53 | +1.0% |
| 1914 | 459.48 | -5.9% |
| 1915 | 425.59 | -7.4% |
| 1916 | 527.29 | +23.9% |
| 1917 | 563.23 | +6.8% |
| 1918 | 470.82 | -16.4% |
| 1919 | 466.11 | -1.0% |
| 1920 | 499.98 | +7.3% |
| 1921 | 472.11 | -5.6% |
| 1922 | 451.65 | -4.3% |
| 1923 | 511.01 | +13.1% |
| 1924 | 546.96 | +7.0% |
| 1925 | 564.1 | +3.1% |
| 1926 | 530.18 | -6.0% |
| 1927 | 592.38 | +11.7% |
| 1928 | 598.16 | +1.0% |
| 1929 | 508.19 | -15.0% |
| 1930 | 529.6 | +4.2% |
| 1931 | 548.48 | +3.6% |
| 1932 | 555.29 | +1.2% |
| 1933 | 513.17 | -7.6% |
| 1934 | 576.39 | +12.3% |
| 1935 | 421.29 | -26.9% |
| 1936 | 599.62 | +42.3% |
| 1937 | 462.52 | -22.9% |
| 1938 | 466.72 | +0.9% |
| 1939 | 409.31 | -12.3% |
| 1940 | 407.61 | -0.4% |
| 1941 | 364.25 | -10.6% |
| 1942 | 359.16 | -1.4% |
| 1943 | 332.9 | -7.3% |
| 1944 | 284.98 | -14.4% |
| 1945 | 215.5 | -24.4% |
| 1946 | 185.4 | -14.0% |
| 1947 | 186.97 | +0.8% |
| 1948 | 140.47 | -24.9% |
| 1949 | 121.37 | -13.6% |
| 1950 | 110.19 | -9.2% |
| 1951 | 105.67 | -4.1% |
| 1952 | 94.54 | -10.5% |
| 1953 | 62.48 | -33.9% |
| 1954 | 69.14 | +10.7% |
| 1955 | 64.57 | -6.6% |
| 1956 | 56.54 | -12.4% |
| 1957 | 63.39 | +12.1% |
| 1958 | 50.46 | -20.4% |
| 1959 | 46.5 | -7.9% |
| 1960 | 53.19 | +14.4% |
| 1961 | 45.54 | -14.4% |
| 1962 | 36.37 | -20.1% |
| 1963 | 27.51 | -24.4% |
| 1964 | 33.23 | +20.8% |
| 1965 | 33.52 | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 29.76 | -11.2% |
| 1967 | 23.29 | -21.7% |
| 1968 | 28.41 | +22.0% |
| 1969 | 17.66 | -37.8% |
| 1970 | 25.67 | +45.4% |
| 1971 | 18.22 | -29.0% |
| 1972 | 12.09 | -33.6% |
| 1973 | 10.95 | -9.4% |
| 1974 | 11.17 | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 5.44 | -51.3% |
| 1976 | 13.17 | +141.9% |
| 1977 | 7.93 | -39.8% |
| 1978 | 6.67 | -15.8% |
| 1979 | 8.06 | +20.8% |
| 1980 | 9.74 | +20.8% |
| 1981 | 10.63 | +9.1% |
| 1982 | 8.75 | -17.7% |
| 1983 | 6.59 | -24.7% |
| 1984 | 6.3 | -4.4% |
| 1985 | 8.02 | +27.3% |
| 1986 | 8.01 | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 8.4 | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 8.54 | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 8.71 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 8.26 | -5.3% |
| 1991 | 8.79 | +6.4% |
| 1992 | 8.79 | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 8.96 | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 9.35 | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 8.09 | -13.5% |
| 1996 | 7.79 | -3.7% |
| 1997 | 7.88 | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 7.47 | -5.3% |
| 1999 | 7.18 | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 6.69 | -6.7% |
| 2001 | 5.97 | -10.8% |
| 2002 | 5.57 | -6.8% |
| 2003 | 5.51 | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 5.12 | -7.2% |
| 2005 | 4.6 | -10.2% |
| 2006 | 4.57 | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 5.11 | +11.8% |
| 2008 | 4.89 | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 5.38 | +10.0% |
| 2010 | 5.45 | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 5.94 | +8.9% |
| 2012 | 5.86 | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 5.99 | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 5.39 | -10.1% |
| 2015 | 5.24 | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 5.18 | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 4.77 | -7.8% |
| 2018 | 4.42 | -7.3% |
| 2019 | 5.09 | +14.9% |
| 2020 | 2.94 | -42.2% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 2.94 is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.61, 39% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Australia's 2.94 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 59.08, 5% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | +141.9% | 5.44 | 13.17 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 643 | 643 | 643 | 1 |
| 1880s | 592 | 592 | 592 | 1 |
| 1890s | 560 | 560 | 560 | 1 |
| 1900s | 550.51 | 505.82 | 609 | 5 |
| 1910s | 489.34 | 425.59 | 563.23 | 10 |
| 1920s | 527.47 | 451.65 | 598.16 | 10 |
| 1930s | 508.24 | 409.31 | 599.62 | 10 |
| 1940s | 259.86 | 121.37 | 407.61 | 10 |
| 1950s | 72.35 | 46.5 | 110.19 | 10 |
| 1960s | 32.85 | 17.66 | 53.19 | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.94 | 5.44 | 25.67 | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.37 | 6.3 | 10.63 | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.25 | 7.18 | 9.35 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.34 | 4.57 | 6.69 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.33 | 4.42 | 5.99 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.94 | 2.94 | 2.94 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 215 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % 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 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0295 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in Australia?
- Maternal mortality in Australia was 2.94 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 643 in 1875.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.94 in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for maternal mortality?
- Australia ranks 182nd out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 119 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).