Maternal mortality ratio in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Maternal mortality ratio was 22 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Maternal mortality ratio in Costa Rica, 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
The most recent figure for maternal mortality ratio in Costa Rica is 22 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.7% on the previous year and down 17.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Costa Rica peaked at 49.59 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985 and was at its lowest, 17.99 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2018.
That places Costa Rica 120th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 46.52 deaths per 100,000 live births | 44.07 deaths per 100,000 live births | 49.59 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 42.15 deaths per 100,000 live births | 37.95 deaths per 100,000 live births | 44.24 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.26 deaths per 100,000 live births | 26.33 deaths per 100,000 live births | 38.51 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | 17.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | 26.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 22 deaths per 100,000 live births | 22 deaths per 100,000 live births | 22 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 117 Trinidad and Tobago 26.58 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 118 China 23.05 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 119 Iran 22.02 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 121 Antigua and Barbuda 21.25 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 123 Grenada 21.14 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Costa Rica
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,632 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 35 deaths (2100)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
- Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 40,311 (2025)
- Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 38,872 (2025)
- Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 39,752 (2025)
- Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 38,260 (2025)
- Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 38,402 (2025)
- Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 36,873 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in Costa Rica?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Costa Rica was 22 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 Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 49.59 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.99 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2018.
- How does Costa Rica rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Costa Rica ranks 120th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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
The 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.