Maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho
Lesotho: Maternal mortality ratio was 566.21 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
566.21 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
down 10.0%
World rank
9th
of 189 countries
All-time high
1,096 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2009
All-time low
462.93 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1996
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho, 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 Lesotho stood at 566.21 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.0% on the previous year and down 45.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho peaked at 1,096 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2009 and was at its lowest, 462.93 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 1996.
Lesotho ranks 9th of 189 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 565.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 550.54 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.6% |
| 1987 | 553.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 555.79 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 550.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 563.71 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 579.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 554.91 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 556.91 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 463.11 deaths per 100,000 live births | -16.8% |
| 1995 | 467.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 462.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 474.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 471.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 506.32 deaths per 100,000 live births | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 544.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | +7.6% |
| 2001 | 574.59 deaths per 100,000 live births | +5.5% |
| 2002 | 590.16 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 609.73 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 554.83 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.0% |
| 2005 | 562.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 632.05 deaths per 100,000 live births | +12.3% |
| 2007 | 702.65 deaths per 100,000 live births | +11.2% |
| 2008 | 873.74 deaths per 100,000 live births | +24.4% |
| 2009 | 1,096 deaths per 100,000 live births | +25.5% |
| 2010 | 1,040 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 1,038 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 963.02 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.2% |
| 2013 | 834.26 deaths per 100,000 live births | -13.4% |
| 2014 | 783.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 728.38 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.1% |
| 2016 | 667.92 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 2017 | 639.74 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 598.64 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.4% |
| 2019 | 628.87 deaths per 100,000 live births | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 566.21 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 566.21 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, 3.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 566.21 deaths per 100,000 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 339.15 deaths per 100,000 live births, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 555.11 deaths per 100,000 live births | 550.54 deaths per 100,000 live births | 565.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 510.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | 462.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | 579.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 674.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | 544.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1,096 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 792.29 deaths per 100,000 live births | 598.64 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1,040 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 566.21 deaths per 100,000 live births | 566.21 deaths per 100,000 live births | 566.21 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 6 Liberia 652.34 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 7 Somalia 620.68 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 8 Afghanistan 620.41 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
- 12 Kenya 529.96 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Lesotho
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4669 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,227 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 382 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2020)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.8108 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0548 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7473 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Lesotho was 566.21 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 Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1,096 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2009.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 462.93 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1996.
- How does Lesotho rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Lesotho ranks 9th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho 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.