Maternal mortality ratio in Zambia
Zambia: Maternal mortality ratio was 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
up 4.5%
World rank
57th
of 189 countries
All-time high
607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1991
All-time low
128.84 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2019
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio in Zambia, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.
Analysis
In 2020, maternal mortality ratio in Zambia stood at 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.5% on the previous year and down 49.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Zambia peaked at 607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1991 and was at its lowest, 128.84 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2019.
That places Zambia 57th out of 189 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Zambia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 555.44 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 573.41 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 560.24 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 580.49 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 588.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 602.99 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 599.19 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 576.15 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.8% |
| 1994 | 543.75 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.6% |
| 1995 | 523.19 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.8% |
| 1996 | 508.72 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 500.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 491.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 468.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.7% |
| 2000 | 418.69 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.6% |
| 2001 | 362.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | -13.4% |
| 2002 | 337.08 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.0% |
| 2003 | 308.19 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.6% |
| 2004 | 311.69 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 309.25 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 306.09 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 295.85 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 319.58 deaths per 100,000 live births | +8.0% |
| 2009 | 326.59 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 268.49 deaths per 100,000 live births | -17.8% |
| 2011 | 232.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | -13.3% |
| 2012 | 220.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.2% |
| 2013 | 191.35 deaths per 100,000 live births | -13.3% |
| 2014 | 168.84 deaths per 100,000 live births | -11.8% |
| 2015 | 165.73 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 155.36 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.3% |
| 2017 | 155.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 144.87 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.0% |
| 2019 | 128.84 deaths per 100,000 live births | -11.1% |
| 2020 | 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.5% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 191.84 deaths per 100,000 live births, 70% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 339.15 deaths per 100,000 live births, 40% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 571.69 deaths per 100,000 live births | 555.44 deaths per 100,000 live births | 588.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 542.2 deaths per 100,000 live births | 468.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | 607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 329.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | 295.85 deaths per 100,000 live births | 418.69 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 183.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | 128.84 deaths per 100,000 live births | 268.49 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 54 Bolivia 160.91 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 55 Pakistan 154.16 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 56 Sao Tome and Principe 146.24 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 58 Belize 129.79 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 59 Mozambique 127.11 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 60 South Africa 126.83 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0743 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in Zambia?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Zambia was 134.66 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1991.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 128.84 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019.
- How does Zambia rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Zambia ranks 57th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
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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.