Number of maternal deaths in World

World: Number of maternal deaths was 260,129 in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
260,129
Change on year
down 2.9%
Rank
1st
of 7 groups
All-time high
625,290
in 1985
All-time low
260,129
in 2023
Years of data
39
1985–2023

Number of maternal deaths in World, 1985–2023

0200.0k400.0k600.0k1985200420231985: 625.3k1986: 608.4k1987: 604.4k1988: 581.9k1989: 568.5k1990: 559.0k1991: 544.0k1992: 537.1k1993: 525.6k1994: 514.2k1995: 498.4k1996: 489.5k1997: 478.0k1998: 480.6k1999: 454.1k2000: 443.3k2001: 433.4k2002: 420.3k2003: 407.0k2004: 396.3k2005: 387.0k2006: 380.9k2007: 375.7k2008: 373.5k2009: 368.6k2010: 362.3k2011: 354.9k2012: 347.8k2013: 340.4k2014: 334.1k2015: 327.8k2016: 318.3k2017: 307.5k2018: 295.2k2019: 286.3k2020: 282.9k2021: 322.1k2022: 267.8k2023: 260.1k

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

The most recent figure for number of maternal deaths in World is 260,129, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.

The figure is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 23.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in World peaked at 625,290 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 260,129, in 2023.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.

Number of maternal deaths in World, year by year

Annual values for Number of maternal deaths in World, 1985 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1985 625,290
1986 608,434 -2.7%
1987 604,383 -0.7%
1988 581,862 -3.7%
1989 568,541 -2.3%
1990 559,031 -1.7%
1991 544,021 -2.7%
1992 537,070 -1.3%
1993 525,644 -2.1%
1994 514,244 -2.2%
1995 498,378 -3.1%
1996 489,503 -1.8%
1997 478,042 -2.3%
1998 480,610 +0.5%
1999 454,070 -5.5%
2000 443,311 -2.4%
2001 433,423 -2.2%
2002 420,318 -3.0%
2003 406,952 -3.2%
2004 396,275 -2.6%
2005 387,045 -2.3%
2006 380,891 -1.6%
2007 375,728 -1.4%
2008 373,526 -0.6%
2009 368,608 -1.3%
2010 362,277 -1.7%
2011 354,905 -2.0%
2012 347,825 -2.0%
2013 340,364 -2.1%
2014 334,115 -1.8%
2015 327,790 -1.9%
2016 318,319 -2.9%
2017 307,527 -3.4%
2018 295,209 -4.0%
2019 286,324 -3.0%
2020 282,922 -1.2%
2021 322,133 +13.9%
2022 267,813 -16.9%
2023 260,129 -2.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 597,702 568,541 625,290 5
1990s 508,061 454,070 559,031 10
2000s 398,608 368,608 443,311 10
2010s 327,466 286,324 362,277 10
2020s 283,249 260,129 322,133 4

Countries ranked near World

  1. 1 Nigeria 74,559 compare
  2. 2 India 18,688 compare
  3. 3 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18,660 compare
  4. 4 Pakistan 10,669 compare

See the full ranking of 202 places →

More health data for World

All data for World →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of maternal deaths in World?
Number of maternal deaths in World was 260,129 in 2023, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in World?
The highest recorded value was 625,290 in 1985.
What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in World?
The lowest recorded value was 260,129 in 2023.
How does World rank for number of maternal deaths?
World ranks 1st out of 7 groups with data for 2023.
Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in World?
Over the last ten years it is down 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this World 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 World. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-maternal-deaths-3/world/

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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