Maternal mortality in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Maternal mortality was 34.34 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Maternal mortality in Puerto Rico, 1985–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, maternal mortality in Puerto Rico stood at 34.34. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 63.9% on the previous year and up 61.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality in Puerto Rico peaked at 34.34 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 15.65, in 2017.
Puerto Rico ranks 110th of 189 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 31.82 | — |
| 1986 | 30.44 | -4.4% |
| 1987 | 27.31 | -10.3% |
| 1988 | 27.52 | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 26.84 | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 26.78 | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 27.56 | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 27.47 | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 25.66 | -6.6% |
| 1994 | 26.06 | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 26.24 | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 26.02 | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 25.39 | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 22.96 | -9.6% |
| 1999 | 22.39 | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 21.87 | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 22.07 | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 23.11 | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 20.25 | -12.4% |
| 2004 | 19.62 | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 19.66 | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 20.03 | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 20.71 | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 21.65 | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 21.83 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 21.24 | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 21 | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 17.98 | -14.4% |
| 2013 | 18.14 | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 18.42 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 18.28 | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 17.78 | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 15.65 | -12.0% |
| 2018 | 17.93 | +14.5% |
| 2019 | 20.95 | +16.8% |
| 2020 | 34.34 | +63.9% |
Puerto Rico compared with similar countries
- Puerto Rico's 34.34 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7.61, 4.5× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Puerto Rico's 34.34 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 71.12, 48% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality in Puerto Rico 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +63.9% | 20.95 | 34.34 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 28.79 | 26.84 | 31.82 | 5 |
| 1990s | 25.65 | 22.39 | 27.56 | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.08 | 19.62 | 23.11 | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.74 | 15.65 | 21.24 | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.34 | 34.34 | 34.34 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
More health data for Puerto Rico
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -20 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4 (2100)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.4804 % 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 0.0145 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.8484 % 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 0.0152 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, annual growth rate -6.19 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in Puerto Rico?
- Maternal mortality in Puerto Rico was 34.34 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 34.34 in 2020.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.65 in 2017.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for maternal mortality?
- Puerto Rico ranks 110th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 61.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Puerto Rico 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 — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).