Number of maternal deaths (Our World) in Australia
Australia: Number of maternal deaths (Our World) was 7.1 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths in Australia, 1985–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, number of maternal deaths in Australia stood at 7.1. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 34.9% on the previous year and down 60.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in Australia peaked at 23.5 in 1992 and was at its lowest, 7.1, in 2023.
That places Australia 128th out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Number of maternal deaths (Our World) in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 21.43 | — |
| 1986 | 20.7 | -3.4% |
| 1987 | 21.26 | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 21.62 | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 22.57 | +4.4% |
| 1990 | 23.05 | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 23.16 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 23.5 | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 22.76 | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 22.83 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 21.82 | -4.4% |
| 1996 | 20.42 | -6.4% |
| 1997 | 20.03 | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 18.54 | -7.5% |
| 1999 | 17.68 | -4.6% |
| 2000 | 16.51 | -6.6% |
| 2001 | 14.29 | -13.4% |
| 2002 | 13.81 | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 13.65 | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 13.07 | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 12.79 | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 13.34 | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 14.67 | +10.0% |
| 2008 | 14.87 | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 16 | +7.6% |
| 2010 | 16.27 | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 17.56 | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 17.91 | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 18.1 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 17.95 | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 18.03 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 18.36 | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 17.34 | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 16.81 | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 16.16 | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 15.17 | -6.2% |
| 2021 | 13.16 | -13.3% |
| 2022 | 10.91 | -17.1% |
| 2023 | 7.1 | -34.9% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 7.1 is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.51, 2.0× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Australia's 7.1 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 16.04, 44% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of maternal deaths (Our World) in Australia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -34.9% | 10.91 | 7.1 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21.52 | 20.7 | 22.57 | 5 |
| 1990s | 21.38 | 17.68 | 23.5 | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.3 | 12.79 | 16.51 | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.45 | 16.16 | 18.36 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.58 | 7.1 | 15.17 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 215 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % 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 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % 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 0.0295 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths in Australia?
- Number of maternal deaths in Australia was 7.1 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 23.5 in 1992.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.1 in 2023.
- How does Australia rank for number of maternal deaths?
- Australia ranks 128th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Number of maternal deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).