Maternal mortality ratio in Norway
Norway: Maternal mortality ratio was 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
down 14.3%
World rank
187th
of 189 countries
All-time high
95.56 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1951
All-time low
1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2020
Years of data
69
1951–2020
Maternal mortality ratio in Norway, 1951–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for maternal mortality ratio in Norway is 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 69 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.3% on the previous year and down 58.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Norway peaked at 95.56 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1951 and was at its lowest, 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2020.
That places Norway 187th 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 ratio in Norway, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 95.56 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1952 | 78.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | -17.9% |
| 1953 | 73.37 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.5% |
| 1954 | 62.6 deaths per 100,000 live births | -14.7% |
| 1955 | 68.13 deaths per 100,000 live births | +8.8% |
| 1956 | 68.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.1% |
| 1957 | 51.31 deaths per 100,000 live births | -25.5% |
| 1958 | 54.44 deaths per 100,000 live births | +6.1% |
| 1959 | 40.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | -26.1% |
| 1960 | 42.74 deaths per 100,000 live births | +6.2% |
| 1961 | 27.45 deaths per 100,000 live births | -35.8% |
| 1962 | 21.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | -23.4% |
| 1963 | 20.69 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 22.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | +11.1% |
| 1965 | 18.2 deaths per 100,000 live births | -20.8% |
| 1966 | 25.4 deaths per 100,000 live births | +39.6% |
| 1967 | 25.69 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 13.38 deaths per 100,000 live births | -47.9% |
| 1969 | 14.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | +10.4% |
| 1970 | 10.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | -26.8% |
| 1971 | 19.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | +83.3% |
| 1972 | 6.22 deaths per 100,000 live births | -68.6% |
| 1973 | 3.26 deaths per 100,000 live births | -47.5% |
| 1974 | 6.71 deaths per 100,000 live births | +105.7% |
| 1975 | 7.1 deaths per 100,000 live births | +5.8% |
| 1976 | 13.08 deaths per 100,000 live births | +84.2% |
| 1977 | 9.81 deaths per 100,000 live births | -25.0% |
| 1978 | 1.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | -80.3% |
| 1979 | 13.58 deaths per 100,000 live births | +602.6% |
| 1980 | 11.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | -13.3% |
| 1981 | 1.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | -83.2% |
| 1983 | 4.01 deaths per 100,000 live births | +102.8% |
| 1984 | 1.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | -50.3% |
| 1985 | 6.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | +250.6% |
| 1986 | 6.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.7% |
| 1987 | 6.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 1988 | 7.58 deaths per 100,000 live births | +17.4% |
| 1989 | 6.95 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 1990 | 6.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 6.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 6.36 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 6.09 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 5.97 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 5.73 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.9% |
| 1996 | 5.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 5.38 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 4.79 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.9% |
| 1999 | 5.64 deaths per 100,000 live births | +17.8% |
| 2000 | 5.73 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 5.21 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.1% |
| 2002 | 5.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 5.35 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 5.53 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 5.52 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 5.15 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 4.95 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 4.51 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.0% |
| 2009 | 4.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 4.02 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 3.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 3.19 deaths per 100,000 live births | -16.4% |
| 2013 | 3.13 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 2.58 deaths per 100,000 live births | -17.6% |
| 2015 | 2.41 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.9% |
| 2016 | 2.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 2.15 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 1.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.4% |
| 2019 | 1.94 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | -14.3% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.61 deaths per 100,000 live births, 22% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Norway's 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.23 deaths per 100,000 live births, 23% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality ratio in Norway 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | +602.6% | 1.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | 13.58 deaths per 100,000 live births |
| 1985 | +250.6% | 1.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | 6.98 deaths per 100,000 live births |
| 1974 | +105.7% | 3.26 deaths per 100,000 live births | 6.71 deaths per 100,000 live births |
| 1983 | +102.8% | 1.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.01 deaths per 100,000 live births |
| 1976 | +84.2% | 7.1 deaths per 100,000 live births | 13.08 deaths per 100,000 live births |
| 1971 | +83.3% | 10.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | 19.8 deaths per 100,000 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 65.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | 40.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | 95.56 deaths per 100,000 live births | 9 |
| 1960s | 23.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | 13.38 deaths per 100,000 live births | 42.74 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | 19.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.04 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | 11.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | 9 |
| 1990s | 5.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.79 deaths per 100,000 live births | 6.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5.73 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.75 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1.94 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.02 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More health data for Norway
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -7.69 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.337 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,212 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 12 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.217 % 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 0.0238 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.0617 % 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 Norway?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Norway was 1.66 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 95.56 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1951.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.
- How does Norway rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Norway ranks 187th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is down 58.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Norway 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 69 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.