Maternal mortality in Malaysia
Malaysia: Maternal mortality was 21.13 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
21.13
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
124th
of 189 countries
All-time high
1,085
in 1933
All-time low
21.13
in 2020
Years of data
83
1933–2020
Maternal mortality in Malaysia, 1933–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 21.13 for maternal mortality in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 83 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality in Malaysia peaked at 1,085 in 1933 and was at its lowest, 21.13, in 2020.
Malaysia ranks 124th of 189 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Maternal mortality in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1933 | 1,085 | — |
| 1934 | 974.05 | -10.2% |
| 1935 | 955.73 | -1.9% |
| 1936 | 1,008 | +5.5% |
| 1937 | 901.67 | -10.6% |
| 1938 | 854.77 | -5.2% |
| 1939 | 834.09 | -2.4% |
| 1940 | 765.89 | -8.2% |
| 1946 | 668.08 | -12.8% |
| 1947 | 700.14 | +4.8% |
| 1948 | 583.01 | -16.7% |
| 1949 | 533.71 | -8.5% |
| 1950 | 533.91 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 569.78 | +6.7% |
| 1952 | 519.98 | -8.7% |
| 1953 | 471.6 | -9.3% |
| 1954 | 475.87 | +0.9% |
| 1955 | 418 | -12.2% |
| 1956 | 396.24 | -5.2% |
| 1957 | 282.16 | -28.8% |
| 1958 | 277.35 | -1.7% |
| 1959 | 209.61 | -24.4% |
| 1960 | 242.26 | +15.6% |
| 1961 | 200.31 | -17.3% |
| 1962 | 230.03 | +14.8% |
| 1963 | 223.37 | -2.9% |
| 1964 | 206.49 | -7.6% |
| 1965 | 203.59 | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 180.07 | -11.5% |
| 1967 | 168.21 | -6.6% |
| 1968 | 169.17 | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 157.55 | -6.9% |
| 1970 | 148.4 | -5.8% |
| 1971 | 123.8 | -16.6% |
| 1972 | 107.02 | -13.6% |
| 1973 | 105.12 | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 96.09 | -8.6% |
| 1975 | 83.31 | -13.3% |
| 1976 | 77.73 | -6.7% |
| 1977 | 78.79 | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 84.2 | +6.9% |
| 1979 | 68.68 | -18.4% |
| 1980 | 62.61 | -8.8% |
| 1981 | 58.85 | -6.0% |
| 1982 | 50.57 | -14.1% |
| 1983 | 39.63 | -21.6% |
| 1984 | 39.39 | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 55.13 | +40.0% |
| 1986 | 54.29 | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 54.29 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 49.8 | -8.3% |
| 1989 | 49.66 | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 48.64 | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 47.34 | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 46.15 | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 45.25 | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 43.64 | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 39.79 | -8.8% |
| 1996 | 40.58 | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 41.26 | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 42.8 | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 39.96 | -6.6% |
| 2000 | 39.75 | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 35.71 | -10.1% |
| 2002 | 36.47 | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 32.07 | -12.1% |
| 2004 | 32.55 | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 32.15 | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 32 | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 28.03 | -12.4% |
| 2008 | 30.48 | +8.7% |
| 2009 | 29.53 | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 25.48 | -13.7% |
| 2011 | 24.05 | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 23.55 | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 23.09 | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 22.53 | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 22.34 | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 21.94 | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 21.62 | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 21.52 | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 21.58 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 21.13 | -2.1% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 21.13 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 51.11, 41% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 21.13 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 59.08, 36% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality in Malaysia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +40.0% | 39.39 | 55.13 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 944.77 | 834.09 | 1,085 | 7 |
| 1940s | 650.17 | 533.71 | 765.89 | 5 |
| 1950s | 415.45 | 209.61 | 569.78 | 10 |
| 1960s | 198.11 | 157.55 | 242.26 | 10 |
| 1970s | 97.31 | 68.68 | 148.4 | 10 |
| 1980s | 51.42 | 39.39 | 62.61 | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.54 | 39.79 | 48.64 | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.87 | 28.03 | 39.75 | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.77 | 21.52 | 25.48 | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.13 | 21.13 | 21.13 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More health data for Malaysia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.9119 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2888 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 652 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 18 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7207 % 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 0.0297 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5991 % 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 0.0316 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in Malaysia?
- Maternal mortality in Malaysia was 21.13 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 1,085 in 1933.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.13 in 2020.
- How does Malaysia rank for maternal mortality?
- Malaysia ranks 124th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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
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