Maternal mortality in Belgium
Belgium: Maternal mortality was 4.76 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
4.76
Change on year
up 3.3%
World rank
170th
of 189 countries
All-time high
936.27
in 1871
All-time low
4.6
in 2019
Years of data
153
1851–2020
Maternal mortality in Belgium, 1851–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 4.76 for maternal mortality in 2020.
That represents a change of up 3.3% on the previous year and down 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality in Belgium peaked at 936.27 in 1871 and was at its lowest, 4.6, in 2019.
That places Belgium 170th 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 Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1851 | 660 | — |
| 1855 | 550 | -16.7% |
| 1858 | 440 | -20.0% |
| 1864 | 833.02 | +89.3% |
| 1865 | 761.88 | -8.5% |
| 1866 | 637.12 | -16.4% |
| 1867 | 536.79 | -15.7% |
| 1868 | 650.58 | +21.2% |
| 1869 | 702.01 | +7.9% |
| 1870 | 772.49 | +10.0% |
| 1871 | 936.27 | +21.2% |
| 1872 | 820.95 | -12.3% |
| 1873 | 745.12 | -9.2% |
| 1874 | 728.41 | -2.2% |
| 1875 | 836.38 | +14.8% |
| 1876 | 768.75 | -8.1% |
| 1877 | 687.47 | -10.6% |
| 1878 | 698.64 | +1.6% |
| 1879 | 675.07 | -3.4% |
| 1880 | 702.85 | +4.1% |
| 1881 | 735.61 | +4.7% |
| 1882 | 714.52 | -2.9% |
| 1883 | 775.82 | +8.6% |
| 1884 | 789.22 | +1.7% |
| 1886 | 765.09 | -3.1% |
| 1887 | 753.26 | -1.5% |
| 1888 | 664.99 | -11.7% |
| 1889 | 641.02 | -3.6% |
| 1890 | 554.06 | -13.6% |
| 1891 | 587.51 | +6.0% |
| 1892 | 645.09 | +9.8% |
| 1893 | 661.99 | +2.6% |
| 1894 | 574.35 | -13.2% |
| 1895 | 462.08 | -19.5% |
| 1896 | 557.45 | +20.6% |
| 1897 | 497.68 | -10.7% |
| 1898 | 510.38 | +2.6% |
| 1899 | 555.04 | +8.8% |
| 1900 | 535.44 | -3.5% |
| 1901 | 523.29 | -2.3% |
| 1902 | 547.14 | +4.6% |
| 1903 | 622.02 | +13.7% |
| 1904 | 460.65 | -25.9% |
| 1905 | 526.99 | +14.4% |
| 1906 | 548.06 | +4.0% |
| 1907 | 564.28 | +3.0% |
| 1908 | 505.5 | -10.4% |
| 1909 | 584.13 | +15.6% |
| 1910 | 543.67 | -6.9% |
| 1911 | 591.43 | +8.8% |
| 1912 | 650.35 | +10.0% |
| 1913 | 551.12 | -15.3% |
| 1920 | 604.43 | +9.7% |
| 1921 | 571.68 | -5.4% |
| 1922 | 534.95 | -6.4% |
| 1923 | 563.22 | +5.3% |
| 1924 | 576.31 | +2.3% |
| 1925 | 498.29 | -13.5% |
| 1926 | 613.87 | +23.2% |
| 1927 | 566.66 | -7.7% |
| 1928 | 603.09 | +6.4% |
| 1929 | 619.1 | +2.7% |
| 1930 | 521.87 | -15.7% |
| 1931 | 493.13 | -5.5% |
| 1932 | 480.68 | -2.5% |
| 1933 | 514.78 | +7.1% |
| 1934 | 535.52 | +4.0% |
| 1935 | 415.78 | -22.4% |
| 1936 | 457.14 | +9.9% |
| 1937 | 383.85 | -16.0% |
| 1938 | 401.92 | +4.7% |
| 1939 | 381.48 | -5.1% |
| 1940 | 376.01 | -1.4% |
| 1941 | 392.58 | +4.4% |
| 1942 | 371.08 | -5.5% |
| 1943 | 381.03 | +2.7% |
| 1944 | 361.86 | -5.0% |
| 1945 | 342.46 | -5.4% |
| 1946 | 286.35 | -16.4% |
| 1947 | 240.97 | -15.8% |
| 1948 | 208.09 | -13.6% |
| 1949 | 160.29 | -23.0% |
| 1950 | 148.28 | -7.5% |
| 1951 | 112.43 | -24.2% |
| 1952 | 89.69 | -20.2% |
| 1953 | 84.17 | -6.1% |
| 1954 | 95.03 | +12.9% |
| 1955 | 81.03 | -14.7% |
| 1956 | 57.46 | -29.1% |
| 1957 | 71.65 | +24.7% |
| 1958 | 59.62 | -16.8% |
| 1959 | 51.55 | -13.5% |
| 1960 | 40.85 | -20.8% |
| 1961 | 34.77 | -14.9% |
| 1962 | 32.91 | -5.3% |
| 1963 | 30.91 | -6.1% |
| 1964 | 30.12 | -2.6% |
| 1965 | 23.35 | -22.5% |
| 1966 | 27.42 | +17.4% |
| 1967 | 17.99 | -34.4% |
| 1968 | 22.06 | +22.6% |
| 1969 | 20.62 | -6.5% |
| 1970 | 20.48 | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 20.55 | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 13.26 | -35.5% |
| 1973 | 12.42 | -6.3% |
| 1974 | 17.06 | +37.4% |
| 1975 | 12.61 | -26.1% |
| 1976 | 5.84 | -53.7% |
| 1977 | 10.77 | +84.5% |
| 1978 | 13.17 | +22.3% |
| 1979 | 8.96 | -32.0% |
| 1980 | 5.67 | -36.7% |
| 1981 | 9.74 | +71.7% |
| 1982 | 7.48 | -23.1% |
| 1983 | 5.11 | -31.7% |
| 1984 | 8.63 | +68.9% |
| 1985 | 8.51 | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 8.24 | -3.2% |
| 1987 | 8.13 | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 7.84 | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 7.81 | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 7.88 | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 7.64 | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 7.92 | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 8.11 | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 8.62 | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 8.88 | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 8.87 | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 8.52 | -4.0% |
| 1998 | 8.63 | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 8.25 | -4.5% |
| 2000 | 8.27 | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 8.01 | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 7.83 | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 7.4 | -5.5% |
| 2004 | 6.94 | -6.3% |
| 2005 | 6.75 | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 6.41 | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 6.69 | +4.4% |
| 2008 | 6.19 | -7.6% |
| 2009 | 6.12 | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 5.93 | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 5.79 | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 5.26 | -9.2% |
| 2013 | 5.55 | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 5.26 | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 5.2 | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 4.93 | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 4.91 | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 4.91 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 4.6 | -6.2% |
| 2020 | 4.76 | +3.3% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 4.76 is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.61, 63% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 4.76 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.23, 66% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality in Belgium 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1864 | +89.3% | 440 | 833.02 |
| 1977 | +84.5% | 5.84 | 10.77 |
| 1981 | +71.7% | 5.67 | 9.74 |
| 1984 | +68.9% | 5.11 | 8.63 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 550 | 440 | 660 | 3 |
| 1860s | 686.9 | 536.79 | 833.02 | 6 |
| 1870s | 766.95 | 675.07 | 936.27 | 10 |
| 1880s | 726.93 | 641.02 | 789.22 | 9 |
| 1890s | 560.56 | 462.08 | 661.99 | 10 |
| 1900s | 541.75 | 460.65 | 622.02 | 10 |
| 1910s | 584.14 | 543.67 | 650.35 | 4 |
| 1920s | 575.16 | 498.29 | 619.1 | 10 |
| 1930s | 458.62 | 381.48 | 535.52 | 10 |
| 1940s | 312.07 | 160.29 | 392.58 | 10 |
| 1950s | 85.09 | 51.55 | 148.28 | 10 |
| 1960s | 28.1 | 17.99 | 40.85 | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.51 | 5.84 | 20.55 | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.72 | 5.11 | 9.74 | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.33 | 7.64 | 8.88 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.06 | 6.12 | 8.27 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.23 | 4.6 | 5.93 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.76 | 4.76 | 4.76 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More health data for Belgium
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2923 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 59 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.11 % 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 0.0229 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.96 % 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 0.024 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in Belgium?
- Maternal mortality in Belgium was 4.76 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 936.27 in 1871.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.6 in 2019.
- How does Belgium rank for maternal mortality?
- Belgium ranks 170th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium 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 — 153 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).