Maternal mortality in Ireland
Ireland: Maternal mortality was 4.98 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
4.98
Change on year
down 9.8%
World rank
167th
of 189 countries
All-time high
710
in 1885
All-time low
4.15
in 1981
Years of data
123
1875–2020
Maternal mortality in Ireland, 1875–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, maternal mortality in Ireland stood at 4.98.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.8% on the previous year and down 23.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality in Ireland peaked at 710 in 1885 and was at its lowest, 4.15, in 1981.
Ireland ranks 167th of 189 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Maternal mortality in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1875 | 660 | — |
| 1885 | 710 | +7.6% |
| 1895 | 660 | -7.0% |
| 1901 | 618 | -6.4% |
| 1902 | 623 | +0.8% |
| 1903 | 563 | -9.6% |
| 1904 | 562 | -0.2% |
| 1905 | 557 | -0.9% |
| 1906 | 586 | +5.2% |
| 1907 | 496 | -15.4% |
| 1908 | 520 | +4.8% |
| 1909 | 546 | +5.0% |
| 1910 | 531 | -2.7% |
| 1911 | 505 | -4.9% |
| 1912 | 543 | +7.5% |
| 1913 | 536 | -1.3% |
| 1914 | 521 | -2.8% |
| 1915 | 530 | +1.7% |
| 1916 | 574 | +8.3% |
| 1917 | 485 | -15.5% |
| 1918 | 483 | -0.4% |
| 1919 | 471 | -2.5% |
| 1920 | 487 | +3.4% |
| 1921 | 495 | +1.6% |
| 1922 | 566 | +14.3% |
| 1923 | 482 | -14.8% |
| 1924 | 478 | -0.8% |
| 1925 | 469 | -1.9% |
| 1926 | 489 | +4.3% |
| 1927 | 451 | -7.8% |
| 1928 | 493 | +9.3% |
| 1929 | 410 | -16.8% |
| 1930 | 477 | +16.3% |
| 1931 | 431 | -9.6% |
| 1932 | 455 | +5.6% |
| 1933 | 444 | -2.4% |
| 1934 | 468 | +5.4% |
| 1935 | 467 | -0.2% |
| 1936 | 470 | +0.6% |
| 1937 | 361 | -23.2% |
| 1938 | 411 | +13.9% |
| 1939 | 339 | -17.5% |
| 1940 | 367 | +8.3% |
| 1941 | 321 | -12.5% |
| 1942 | 247 | -23.1% |
| 1943 | 225 | -8.9% |
| 1944 | 238 | +5.8% |
| 1945 | 237 | -0.4% |
| 1946 | 201 | -15.2% |
| 1947 | 188 | -6.5% |
| 1948 | 158 | -16.0% |
| 1949 | 181 | +14.6% |
| 1950 | 147.9 | -18.3% |
| 1951 | 151.51 | +2.4% |
| 1952 | 134.65 | -11.1% |
| 1953 | 123.67 | -8.1% |
| 1954 | 106.1 | -14.2% |
| 1955 | 112.38 | +5.9% |
| 1956 | 84.5 | -24.8% |
| 1957 | 130.42 | +54.4% |
| 1958 | 100.93 | -22.6% |
| 1959 | 63.75 | -36.8% |
| 1960 | 56.67 | -11.1% |
| 1961 | 45.01 | -20.6% |
| 1962 | 43.91 | -2.4% |
| 1963 | 35.01 | -20.3% |
| 1964 | 47.12 | +34.6% |
| 1965 | 28.49 | -39.5% |
| 1966 | 29.13 | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 23 | -21.0% |
| 1968 | 36.18 | +57.3% |
| 1969 | 31.82 | -12.0% |
| 1970 | 31.02 | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 25.35 | -18.3% |
| 1972 | 41.22 | +62.6% |
| 1973 | 11.72 | -71.6% |
| 1974 | 21.86 | +86.6% |
| 1975 | 7.46 | -65.9% |
| 1976 | 16.25 | +117.9% |
| 1977 | 11.61 | -28.5% |
| 1978 | 17.06 | +47.0% |
| 1979 | 9.65 | -43.4% |
| 1980 | 6.75 | -30.1% |
| 1981 | 4.15 | -38.5% |
| 1982 | 5.64 | +35.9% |
| 1983 | 11.89 | +110.9% |
| 1984 | 6.23 | -47.6% |
| 1985 | 11.06 | +77.6% |
| 1986 | 10.02 | -9.3% |
| 1987 | 9.89 | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 10.14 | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 9.8 | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 10.84 | +10.7% |
| 1991 | 10.44 | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 10.86 | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 9.12 | -16.0% |
| 1994 | 9.3 | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 9.96 | +7.0% |
| 1996 | 8.63 | -13.3% |
| 1997 | 10.47 | +21.3% |
| 1998 | 9.62 | -8.1% |
| 1999 | 8.28 | -13.9% |
| 2000 | 10.45 | +26.3% |
| 2001 | 9.32 | -10.8% |
| 2002 | 8.45 | -9.3% |
| 2003 | 7.42 | -12.2% |
| 2004 | 7.98 | +7.6% |
| 2005 | 8.61 | +7.9% |
| 2006 | 7.91 | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 7.03 | -11.2% |
| 2008 | 7.59 | +8.0% |
| 2009 | 7.14 | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 6.55 | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 7.42 | +13.3% |
| 2012 | 7.04 | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 6.46 | -8.3% |
| 2014 | 6.27 | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 6.49 | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 5.34 | -17.6% |
| 2017 | 5.58 | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 5.43 | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 5.52 | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 4.98 | -9.8% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 4.98 is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.61, 66% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 4.98 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.23, 69% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality in Ireland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | +117.9% | 7.46 | 16.25 |
| 1983 | +110.9% | 5.64 | 11.89 |
| 1974 | +86.6% | 11.72 | 21.86 |
| 1985 | +77.6% | 6.23 | 11.06 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 660 | 660 | 660 | 1 |
| 1880s | 710 | 710 | 710 | 1 |
| 1890s | 660 | 660 | 660 | 1 |
| 1900s | 563.44 | 496 | 623 | 9 |
| 1910s | 517.9 | 471 | 574 | 10 |
| 1920s | 482 | 410 | 566 | 10 |
| 1930s | 432.3 | 339 | 477 | 10 |
| 1940s | 236.3 | 158 | 367 | 10 |
| 1950s | 115.58 | 63.75 | 151.51 | 10 |
| 1960s | 37.63 | 23 | 56.67 | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.32 | 7.46 | 41.22 | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.56 | 4.15 | 11.89 | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.75 | 8.28 | 10.86 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.19 | 7.03 | 10.45 | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.21 | 5.34 | 7.42 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.98 | 4.98 | 4.98 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More health data for Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -4.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.89 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 20 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7228 % 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 0.026 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.6489 % 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 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in Ireland?
- Maternal mortality in Ireland was 4.98 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 710 in 1885.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.15 in 1981.
- How does Ireland rank for maternal mortality?
- Ireland ranks 167th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland 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 — 123 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).