Maternal mortality in United States
United States: Maternal mortality was 21.08 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
21.08
Change on year
up 6.2%
World rank
125th
of 189 countries
All-time high
916
in 1918
All-time low
7.54
in 1984
Years of data
121
1900–2020
Maternal mortality in United States, 1900–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, maternal mortality in United States stood at 21.08.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.2% on the previous year and up 49.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality in United States peaked at 916 in 1918 and was at its lowest, 7.54, in 1984.
United States ranks 125th 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 United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 850 | — |
| 1901 | 800 | -5.9% |
| 1902 | 740 | -7.5% |
| 1903 | 700 | -5.4% |
| 1904 | 790 | +12.9% |
| 1905 | 800 | +1.3% |
| 1906 | 710 | -11.2% |
| 1907 | 720 | +1.4% |
| 1908 | 670 | -6.9% |
| 1909 | 700 | +4.5% |
| 1910 | 690 | -1.4% |
| 1911 | 700 | +1.4% |
| 1912 | 650 | -7.1% |
| 1913 | 680 | +4.6% |
| 1914 | 710 | +4.4% |
| 1915 | 608 | -14.4% |
| 1916 | 622 | +2.3% |
| 1917 | 662 | +6.4% |
| 1918 | 916 | +38.4% |
| 1919 | 737 | -19.5% |
| 1920 | 799 | +8.4% |
| 1921 | 682 | -14.6% |
| 1922 | 664 | -2.6% |
| 1923 | 665 | +0.2% |
| 1924 | 656 | -1.4% |
| 1925 | 647 | -1.4% |
| 1926 | 656 | +1.4% |
| 1927 | 647 | -1.4% |
| 1928 | 692 | +7.0% |
| 1929 | 695 | +0.4% |
| 1930 | 673 | -3.2% |
| 1931 | 661 | -1.8% |
| 1932 | 633 | -4.2% |
| 1933 | 619 | -2.2% |
| 1934 | 593 | -4.2% |
| 1935 | 582 | -1.9% |
| 1936 | 568 | -2.4% |
| 1937 | 489 | -13.9% |
| 1938 | 435 | -11.0% |
| 1939 | 404 | -7.1% |
| 1940 | 376 | -6.9% |
| 1941 | 317 | -15.7% |
| 1942 | 259 | -18.3% |
| 1943 | 245 | -5.4% |
| 1944 | 228 | -6.9% |
| 1945 | 207 | -9.2% |
| 1946 | 157 | -24.2% |
| 1947 | 135 | -14.0% |
| 1948 | 117 | -13.3% |
| 1949 | 90 | -23.1% |
| 1950 | 80.04 | -11.1% |
| 1951 | 73.79 | -7.8% |
| 1952 | 66.92 | -9.3% |
| 1953 | 60.3 | -9.9% |
| 1954 | 51.72 | -14.2% |
| 1955 | 46.42 | -10.2% |
| 1956 | 40.48 | -12.8% |
| 1957 | 40.74 | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 36.38 | -10.7% |
| 1959 | 36.51 | +0.4% |
| 1960 | 36.13 | -1.1% |
| 1961 | 35.92 | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 34.32 | -4.5% |
| 1963 | 35.03 | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 32.55 | -7.1% |
| 1965 | 30.53 | -6.2% |
| 1966 | 28 | -8.3% |
| 1967 | 27.08 | -3.3% |
| 1968 | 23.67 | -12.6% |
| 1969 | 21.37 | -9.7% |
| 1970 | 20.62 | -3.5% |
| 1971 | 17.94 | -13.0% |
| 1972 | 17.91 | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 14.45 | -19.3% |
| 1974 | 13.91 | -3.7% |
| 1975 | 12.18 | -12.4% |
| 1976 | 11.69 | -4.0% |
| 1977 | 10.69 | -8.6% |
| 1978 | 9.13 | -14.6% |
| 1979 | 9.19 | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 8.92 | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 8.22 | -7.8% |
| 1982 | 7.67 | -6.7% |
| 1983 | 7.69 | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 7.54 | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 10.73 | +42.4% |
| 1986 | 11.07 | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 11.01 | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 10.82 | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 10.43 | -3.6% |
| 1990 | 10.04 | -3.8% |
| 1991 | 10.27 | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 10.3 | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 10.79 | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 11.05 | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 11.33 | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 11.12 | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 10.93 | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 10.9 | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 11.46 | +5.1% |
| 2000 | 11.83 | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 12.53 | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 12.88 | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 13.18 | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 13.1 | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 13.28 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 13.2 | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 13.22 | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 13.97 | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 15.41 | +10.3% |
| 2010 | 14.07 | -8.6% |
| 2011 | 15.26 | +8.4% |
| 2012 | 15.82 | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 16.42 | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 16.78 | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 17.38 | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 18.45 | +6.2% |
| 2017 | 19.14 | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 19.45 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 19.85 | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 21.08 | +6.2% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 21.08 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7.61, 2.8× the median. (59 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality in United States 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 | +42.4% | 7.54 | 10.73 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 748 | 670 | 850 | 10 |
| 1910s | 697.5 | 608 | 916 | 10 |
| 1920s | 680.3 | 647 | 799 | 10 |
| 1930s | 565.7 | 404 | 673 | 10 |
| 1940s | 213.1 | 90 | 376 | 10 |
| 1950s | 53.33 | 36.38 | 80.04 | 10 |
| 1960s | 30.46 | 21.37 | 36.13 | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.77 | 9.13 | 20.62 | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.41 | 7.54 | 11.07 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.82 | 10.04 | 11.46 | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.26 | 11.83 | 15.41 | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.26 | 14.07 | 19.85 | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.08 | 21.08 | 21.08 | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States
More health data for United States
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,015 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % 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 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % 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 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in United States?
- Maternal mortality in United States was 21.08 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 916 in 1918.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.54 in 1984.
- How does United States rank for maternal mortality?
- United States ranks 125th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States 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 — 121 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).