Maternal mortality in Canada
Canada: Maternal mortality was 11.01 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Maternal mortality in Canada, 1950–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Canada recorded 11.01 for maternal mortality in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality in Canada peaked at 116.94 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 1.9, in 1982.
That places Canada 144th 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 Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 116.94 | — |
| 1951 | 109.79 | -6.1% |
| 1952 | 95.99 | -12.6% |
| 1953 | 80.22 | -16.4% |
| 1954 | 74.11 | -7.6% |
| 1955 | 78.55 | +6.0% |
| 1956 | 64.06 | -18.4% |
| 1957 | 56.61 | -11.6% |
| 1958 | 57.88 | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 56.74 | -2.0% |
| 1960 | 46.5 | -18.1% |
| 1961 | 47.75 | +2.7% |
| 1962 | 42.18 | -11.7% |
| 1963 | 36.83 | -12.7% |
| 1964 | 31.44 | -14.6% |
| 1965 | 33.63 | +7.0% |
| 1966 | 36.36 | +8.1% |
| 1967 | 24.68 | -32.1% |
| 1968 | 28.19 | +14.2% |
| 1969 | 21.61 | -23.3% |
| 1970 | 21.06 | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 18.92 | -10.2% |
| 1972 | 16.04 | -15.2% |
| 1973 | 11.11 | -30.7% |
| 1974 | 10.09 | -9.2% |
| 1975 | 7.75 | -23.2% |
| 1976 | 6.85 | -11.6% |
| 1977 | 5.08 | -25.8% |
| 1978 | 6.51 | +28.2% |
| 1979 | 7.53 | +15.5% |
| 1980 | 7.72 | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 6.31 | -18.2% |
| 1982 | 1.9 | -69.9% |
| 1983 | 5.41 | +184.0% |
| 1984 | 3.21 | -40.6% |
| 1985 | 6.95 | +116.5% |
| 1986 | 7.02 | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 6 | -14.6% |
| 1988 | 7.01 | +16.8% |
| 1989 | 7.15 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 6.89 | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 6.59 | -4.3% |
| 1992 | 6.9 | +4.6% |
| 1993 | 7.46 | +8.1% |
| 1994 | 7.64 | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 8.22 | +7.6% |
| 1996 | 8.93 | +8.7% |
| 1997 | 7.8 | -12.7% |
| 1998 | 8.17 | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 8.64 | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 9.3 | +7.7% |
| 2001 | 9.82 | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 10.38 | +5.7% |
| 2003 | 10.59 | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 10.66 | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 11.33 | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 10.97 | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 10.56 | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 12.77 | +21.0% |
| 2009 | 12.61 | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 11.94 | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 11.86 | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 11.83 | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 11.48 | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 11.68 | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 11.66 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 12.52 | +7.4% |
| 2017 | 12.58 | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 11 | -12.5% |
| 2019 | 11.16 | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 11.01 | -1.3% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 11.01 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7.61, 1.4× the median. (59 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality in Canada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +184.0% | 1.9 | 5.41 |
| 1985 | +116.5% | 3.21 | 6.95 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 79.09 | 56.61 | 116.94 | 10 |
| 1960s | 34.92 | 21.61 | 47.75 | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.09 | 5.08 | 21.06 | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.87 | 1.9 | 7.72 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.72 | 6.59 | 8.93 | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.9 | 9.3 | 12.77 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.77 | 11 | 12.58 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.01 | 11.01 | 11.01 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More health data for Canada
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.79 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.3588 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 385 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5214 % 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 0.023 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.5024 % 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 0.0242 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in Canada?
- Maternal mortality in Canada was 11.01 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 116.94 in 1950.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9 in 1982.
- How does Canada rank for maternal mortality?
- Canada ranks 144th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada 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
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