Maternal mortality ratio in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Maternal mortality ratio was 356.76 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
356.76 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
down 9.3%
World rank
25th
of 189 countries
All-time high
684.83 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2008
All-time low
321.54 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1998
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio in Zimbabwe, 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
The most recent figure for maternal mortality ratio in Zimbabwe is 356.76 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 9.3% on the previous year and down 42.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Zimbabwe peaked at 684.83 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2008 and was at its lowest, 321.54 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 1998.
That places Zimbabwe 25th out of 189 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 431.54 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 387.48 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.2% |
| 1987 | 366.38 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.4% |
| 1988 | 374.77 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 358.35 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 1990 | 337.55 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.8% |
| 1991 | 346.73 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 349.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 346.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 352.08 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 364 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 361.6 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 323.44 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.6% |
| 1998 | 321.54 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 384.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | +19.6% |
| 2000 | 387.75 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 589.17 deaths per 100,000 live births | +51.9% |
| 2002 | 442.71 deaths per 100,000 live births | -24.9% |
| 2003 | 533.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | +20.6% |
| 2004 | 488.09 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 533.07 deaths per 100,000 live births | +9.2% |
| 2006 | 558.16 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 656.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | +17.6% |
| 2008 | 684.83 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 669.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 618.33 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.7% |
| 2011 | 562.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.1% |
| 2012 | 527.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.1% |
| 2013 | 495.26 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.1% |
| 2014 | 440.85 deaths per 100,000 live births | -11.0% |
| 2015 | 408.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.4% |
| 2016 | 399.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 366.38 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 2018 | 358.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 393.18 deaths per 100,000 live births | +9.7% |
| 2020 | 356.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.3% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 356.76 deaths per 100,000 live births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 191.84 deaths per 100,000 live births, 1.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 356.76 deaths per 100,000 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 339.15 deaths per 100,000 live births, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality ratio in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +51.9% | 387.75 deaths per 100,000 live births | 589.17 deaths per 100,000 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 383.7 deaths per 100,000 live births | 358.35 deaths per 100,000 live births | 431.54 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 348.81 deaths per 100,000 live births | 321.54 deaths per 100,000 live births | 384.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 554.4 deaths per 100,000 live births | 387.75 deaths per 100,000 live births | 684.83 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 457.01 deaths per 100,000 live births | 358.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | 618.33 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 356.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | 356.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | 356.76 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 22 Togo 399.04 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 23 Madagascar 391.52 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 24 Malawi 380.67 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 26 Haiti 350.4 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 27 Dominica 333.7 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 28 Eritrea 321.55 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Zimbabwe
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 874.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,457 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.9632 % 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 0.0689 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9673 % 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 Zimbabwe?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Zimbabwe was 356.76 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 684.83 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2008.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 321.54 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1998.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Zimbabwe ranks 25th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.