Maternal mortality in Norway
Norway: Maternal mortality was 1.66 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Maternal mortality in Norway, 1951–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for maternal mortality in Norway is 1.66, 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 in Norway peaked at 95.56 in 1951 and was at its lowest, 1.66, 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 in Norway, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 95.56 | — |
| 1952 | 78.5 | -17.9% |
| 1953 | 73.37 | -6.5% |
| 1954 | 62.6 | -14.7% |
| 1955 | 68.13 | +8.8% |
| 1956 | 68.89 | +1.1% |
| 1957 | 51.31 | -25.5% |
| 1958 | 54.44 | +6.1% |
| 1959 | 40.23 | -26.1% |
| 1960 | 42.74 | +6.2% |
| 1961 | 27.45 | -35.8% |
| 1962 | 21.03 | -23.4% |
| 1963 | 20.69 | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 22.98 | +11.1% |
| 1965 | 18.2 | -20.8% |
| 1966 | 25.4 | +39.6% |
| 1967 | 25.69 | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 13.38 | -47.9% |
| 1969 | 14.77 | +10.4% |
| 1970 | 10.8 | -26.8% |
| 1971 | 19.8 | +83.3% |
| 1972 | 6.22 | -68.6% |
| 1973 | 3.26 | -47.5% |
| 1974 | 6.71 | +105.7% |
| 1975 | 7.1 | +5.8% |
| 1976 | 13.08 | +84.2% |
| 1977 | 9.81 | -25.0% |
| 1978 | 1.93 | -80.3% |
| 1979 | 13.58 | +602.6% |
| 1980 | 11.77 | -13.3% |
| 1981 | 1.98 | -83.2% |
| 1983 | 4.01 | +102.8% |
| 1984 | 1.99 | -50.3% |
| 1985 | 6.98 | +250.6% |
| 1986 | 6.66 | -4.7% |
| 1987 | 6.46 | -3.0% |
| 1988 | 7.58 | +17.4% |
| 1989 | 6.95 | -8.3% |
| 1990 | 6.89 | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 6.63 | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 6.36 | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 6.09 | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 5.97 | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 5.73 | -3.9% |
| 1996 | 5.5 | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 5.38 | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 4.79 | -10.9% |
| 1999 | 5.64 | +17.8% |
| 2000 | 5.73 | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 5.21 | -9.1% |
| 2002 | 5.14 | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 5.35 | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 5.53 | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 5.52 | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 5.15 | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 4.95 | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 4.51 | -9.0% |
| 2009 | 4.27 | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 4.02 | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 3.82 | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 3.19 | -16.4% |
| 2013 | 3.13 | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 2.58 | -17.6% |
| 2015 | 2.41 | -6.9% |
| 2016 | 2.23 | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 2.15 | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 1.99 | -7.4% |
| 2019 | 1.94 | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 1.66 | -14.3% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 1.66 is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.61, 22% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Norway's 1.66 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.23, 23% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality 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 | 13.58 |
| 1985 | +250.6% | 1.99 | 6.98 |
| 1974 | +105.7% | 3.26 | 6.71 |
| 1983 | +102.8% | 1.98 | 4.01 |
| 1976 | +84.2% | 7.1 | 13.08 |
| 1971 | +83.3% | 10.8 | 19.8 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 65.89 | 40.23 | 95.56 | 9 |
| 1960s | 23.23 | 13.38 | 42.74 | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.23 | 1.93 | 19.8 | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.04 | 1.98 | 11.77 | 9 |
| 1990s | 5.9 | 4.79 | 6.89 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.14 | 4.27 | 5.73 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.75 | 1.94 | 4.02 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.66 | 1.66 | 1.66 | 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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 12 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0251 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in Norway?
- Maternal mortality in Norway was 1.66 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 95.56 in 1951.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.66 in 2020.
- How does Norway rank for maternal mortality?
- Norway ranks 187th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality 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 Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality. 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).