Number of maternal deaths in Australia

Australia: Number of maternal deaths was 7.1 in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
7.1
Change on year
down 34.9%
World rank
127th
of 194 countries
All-time high
23.5
in 1992
All-time low
7.1
in 2023
Years of data
39
1985–2023

Number of maternal deaths in Australia, 1985–2023

5101520251985200420231985: 21.41986: 20.71987: 21.31988: 21.61989: 22.61990: 23.11991: 23.21992: 23.51993: 22.81994: 22.81995: 21.81996: 20.41997: 201998: 18.51999: 17.72000: 16.52001: 14.32002: 13.82003: 13.62004: 13.12005: 12.82006: 13.32007: 14.72008: 14.92009: 162010: 16.32011: 17.62012: 17.92013: 18.12014: 182015: 182016: 18.42017: 17.32018: 16.82019: 16.22020: 15.22021: 13.22022: 10.92023: 7.1

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

Australia recorded 7.1 for number of maternal deaths in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.

The figure is 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.

Australia ranks 127th of 194 countries on this measure, 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 in Australia, year by year

Annual values for Number of maternal deaths in Australia, 1985 to 2023.
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%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 124 Mauritius 7.78 compare
  2. 125 Turkmenistan 7.24 compare
  3. 126 Netherlands 7.22 compare
  4. 128 Armenia 6.76 compare
  5. 129 Serbia 6.43 compare
  6. 130 Republic of Moldova 6.16 compare

See the full ranking of 202 places →

More health data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of maternal deaths in Australia?
Number of maternal deaths in Australia was 7.1 in 2023, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
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 127th out of 194 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 World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Number of maternal deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of maternal deaths in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-maternal-deaths-3/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of maternal deaths
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
202 places, 7,878 data points, 1985–2023
Last refreshed