Maternal mortality in Denmark
Denmark: Maternal mortality was 4.66 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
4.66
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
171st
of 189 countries
All-time high
401
in 1931
All-time low
1.75
in 1980
Years of data
90
1921–2020
Maternal mortality in Denmark, 1921–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, maternal mortality in Denmark stood at 4.66.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and down 28.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality in Denmark peaked at 401 in 1931 and was at its lowest, 1.75, in 1980.
That places Denmark 171st 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 Denmark, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 187 | — |
| 1922 | 263 | +40.6% |
| 1923 | 289 | +9.9% |
| 1924 | 244 | -15.6% |
| 1925 | 244 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 275 | +12.7% |
| 1927 | 309 | +12.4% |
| 1928 | 271 | -12.3% |
| 1929 | 315 | +16.2% |
| 1930 | 380 | +20.6% |
| 1931 | 401 | +5.5% |
| 1932 | 347 | -13.5% |
| 1933 | 361 | +4.0% |
| 1934 | 383 | +6.1% |
| 1935 | 397 | +3.7% |
| 1936 | 382 | -3.8% |
| 1937 | 348 | -8.9% |
| 1938 | 309 | -11.2% |
| 1939 | 295 | -4.5% |
| 1940 | 239 | -19.0% |
| 1951 | 79.27 | -66.8% |
| 1952 | 59.62 | -24.8% |
| 1953 | 83.03 | +39.3% |
| 1954 | 67.77 | -18.4% |
| 1955 | 42.77 | -36.9% |
| 1956 | 48.05 | +12.3% |
| 1957 | 41.23 | -14.2% |
| 1958 | 44.58 | +8.1% |
| 1959 | 43.72 | -1.9% |
| 1960 | 30.34 | -30.6% |
| 1961 | 22.32 | -26.4% |
| 1962 | 20.61 | -7.6% |
| 1963 | 25.45 | +23.5% |
| 1964 | 15.6 | -38.7% |
| 1965 | 13.97 | -10.5% |
| 1966 | 19.31 | +38.2% |
| 1967 | 9.83 | -49.1% |
| 1968 | 13.39 | +36.2% |
| 1969 | 16.83 | +25.7% |
| 1970 | 8.46 | -49.7% |
| 1971 | 5.32 | -37.2% |
| 1972 | 3.99 | -25.0% |
| 1973 | 2.78 | -30.2% |
| 1974 | 7.01 | +152.1% |
| 1975 | 5.57 | -20.6% |
| 1976 | 3.06 | -45.1% |
| 1977 | 4.84 | +58.2% |
| 1978 | 8.1 | +67.3% |
| 1979 | 11.79 | +45.6% |
| 1980 | 1.75 | -85.1% |
| 1981 | 3.76 | +114.3% |
| 1982 | 11.45 | +204.8% |
| 1983 | 3.93 | -65.7% |
| 1984 | 7.73 | +96.7% |
| 1985 | 11.47 | +48.4% |
| 1986 | 11.23 | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 10.77 | -4.1% |
| 1988 | 12.99 | +20.6% |
| 1989 | 12.68 | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 11.67 | -8.0% |
| 1991 | 11.31 | -3.1% |
| 1992 | 10.68 | -5.6% |
| 1993 | 10.59 | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 10.32 | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 10.42 | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 9.88 | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 9.65 | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 8.69 | -10.0% |
| 1999 | 8.81 | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 8.03 | -8.7% |
| 2001 | 8.2 | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 8.21 | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 7.66 | -6.7% |
| 2004 | 7.42 | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 6.9 | -7.1% |
| 2006 | 6.63 | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 7.05 | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 6.82 | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 6.82 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 6.52 | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 6.65 | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 6.31 | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 5.13 | -18.8% |
| 2014 | 5.11 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 5.6 | +9.7% |
| 2016 | 5.48 | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 5 | -8.7% |
| 2018 | 5.01 | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 4.52 | -9.9% |
| 2020 | 4.66 | +3.1% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 4.66 is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.61, 61% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 4.66 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.23, 64% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality in Denmark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +204.8% | 3.76 | 11.45 |
| 1974 | +152.1% | 2.78 | 7.01 |
| 1981 | +114.3% | 1.75 | 3.76 |
| 1984 | +96.7% | 3.93 | 7.73 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 266.33 | 187 | 315 | 9 |
| 1930s | 360.3 | 295 | 401 | 10 |
| 1940s | 239 | 239 | 239 | 1 |
| 1950s | 56.67 | 41.23 | 83.03 | 9 |
| 1960s | 18.77 | 9.83 | 30.34 | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.09 | 2.78 | 11.79 | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.78 | 1.75 | 12.99 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.2 | 8.69 | 11.67 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.37 | 6.63 | 8.21 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.53 | 4.52 | 6.65 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.66 | 4.66 | 4.66 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More health data for Denmark
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1019 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 31 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.4524 % 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 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.4338 % 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 0.026 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in Denmark?
- Maternal mortality in Denmark was 4.66 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 401 in 1931.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.75 in 1980.
- How does Denmark rank for maternal mortality?
- Denmark ranks 171st out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Denmark 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 — 90 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).