Maternal mortality ratio in Kenya
Kenya: Maternal mortality ratio was 529.96 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
529.96 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
up 5.4%
World rank
12th
of 189 countries
All-time high
614.8 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1986
All-time low
464.13 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2009
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio in Kenya, 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 Kenya stood at 529.96 deaths per 100,000 live births.
The figure is up 5.4% on the previous year and up 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Kenya peaked at 614.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1986 and was at its lowest, 464.13 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2009.
Kenya ranks 12th of 189 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Kenya, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 580.11 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 614.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | +6.0% |
| 1987 | 612.49 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 596.01 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.7% |
| 1989 | 613.45 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 582.96 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 1991 | 565.59 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 574.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 562.83 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 553.17 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 563.51 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 560.81 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 535.78 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.5% |
| 1998 | 542.96 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 547.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 563.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 567.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 536.34 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.4% |
| 2003 | 525.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 504.1 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 503.44 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 493.36 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 494.1 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 483.51 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 464.13 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 475.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 472.81 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 476.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 516.21 deaths per 100,000 live births | +8.2% |
| 2014 | 506.85 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 482.97 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 504.67 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.5% |
| 2017 | 489.94 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 511.51 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 502.92 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 529.96 deaths per 100,000 live births | +5.4% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 529.96 deaths per 100,000 live births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 191.84 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 529.96 deaths per 100,000 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 339.15 deaths per 100,000 live births, 1.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 603.37 deaths per 100,000 live births | 580.11 deaths per 100,000 live births | 614.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 558.91 deaths per 100,000 live births | 535.78 deaths per 100,000 live births | 582.96 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 513.53 deaths per 100,000 live births | 464.13 deaths per 100,000 live births | 567.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 494.04 deaths per 100,000 live births | 472.81 deaths per 100,000 live births | 516.21 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 529.96 deaths per 100,000 live births | 529.96 deaths per 100,000 live births | 529.96 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 9 Lesotho 566.21 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 10 Guinea 553.4 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 11 Democratic Republic of Congo 547.36 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 13 Benin 522.61 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 14 Burundi 494.43 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 15 Cote d'Ivoire 479.91 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Kenya
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6026 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,119 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 16,059 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 89 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.28 % 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 0.0621 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.28 % 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 Kenya?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Kenya was 529.96 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 614.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1986.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 464.13 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2009.
- How does Kenya rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Kenya ranks 12th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya 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.