Maternal mortality ratio in China
China: Maternal mortality ratio was 23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
up 13.0%
World rank
118th
of 189 countries
All-time high
114.47 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1985
All-time low
20.36 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2018
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio in China, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.
Analysis
In 2020, maternal mortality ratio in China stood at 23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.0% on the previous year and down 30.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in China peaked at 114.47 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985 and was at its lowest, 20.36 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2018.
That places China 118th out of 189 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in China, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 114.47 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 102.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.3% |
| 1987 | 93.7 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.7% |
| 1988 | 95 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 89.92 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.3% |
| 1990 | 85.92 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.5% |
| 1991 | 87.94 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 89.7 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 78.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | -12.8% |
| 1994 | 79.01 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 76.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.5% |
| 1996 | 66.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | -12.8% |
| 1997 | 65.7 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 63.09 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 64.22 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 58.06 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.6% |
| 2001 | 55.31 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.7% |
| 2002 | 53.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 43.35 deaths per 100,000 live births | -19.5% |
| 2004 | 48.78 deaths per 100,000 live births | +12.5% |
| 2005 | 45.59 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 42.55 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 39.32 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.6% |
| 2008 | 38.18 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 34.05 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.8% |
| 2010 | 33.22 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 32.18 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 28.44 deaths per 100,000 live births | -11.6% |
| 2013 | 28.3 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 25.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.7% |
| 2015 | 25.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 23.31 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.3% |
| 2017 | 21.87 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 2018 | 20.36 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.9% |
| 2019 | 20.4 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births | +13.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 51.11 deaths per 100,000 live births, 45% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 59.08 deaths per 100,000 live births, 39% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 99.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | 89.92 deaths per 100,000 live births | 114.47 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 75.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | 63.09 deaths per 100,000 live births | 89.7 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | 34.05 deaths per 100,000 live births | 58.06 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | 20.36 deaths per 100,000 live births | 33.22 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births | 23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births | 23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
- 115 Georgia 27.61 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 116 Armenia 27.19 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 117 Trinidad and Tobago 26.58 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 119 Iran 22.02 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 120 Costa Rica 22 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 121 Antigua and Barbuda 21.25 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,029 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -8.22 % 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 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -8.73 % 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 in China?
- Maternal mortality ratio in China was 23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 114.47 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.36 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2018.
- How does China rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- China ranks 118th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of women who die from maternal conditions per 100,000 live births, based on data from death certificates, large-scale surveys, and statistical modeling.