Number of maternal deaths by region in New Zealand
New Zealand: Number of maternal deaths by region was 4.43 deaths in 2020. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths by region in New Zealand, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 4.43 deaths for number of maternal deaths by region in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 28.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths by region in New Zealand peaked at 9.86 deaths in 1988 and was at its lowest, 4.43 deaths, in 2020.
That places New Zealand 146th out of 185 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Number of maternal deaths by region in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 8.79 deaths | — |
| 1986 | 8.19 deaths | -6.9% |
| 1987 | 8.86 deaths | +8.2% |
| 1988 | 9.86 deaths | +11.3% |
| 1989 | 9.56 deaths | -3.0% |
| 1990 | 9.75 deaths | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 8.42 deaths | -13.7% |
| 1992 | 7.71 deaths | -8.4% |
| 1993 | 7.55 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 7.17 deaths | -5.0% |
| 1995 | 7.91 deaths | +10.4% |
| 1996 | 7.85 deaths | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 7.48 deaths | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 7.04 deaths | -5.9% |
| 1999 | 7 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 6.32 deaths | -9.7% |
| 2001 | 6.17 deaths | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 5.52 deaths | -10.5% |
| 2003 | 5.7 deaths | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 6.56 deaths | +15.1% |
| 2005 | 5.7 deaths | -13.1% |
| 2006 | 6.36 deaths | +11.6% |
| 2007 | 6.46 deaths | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 6.11 deaths | -5.4% |
| 2009 | 6.31 deaths | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 6.23 deaths | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 6.35 deaths | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 5.84 deaths | -7.9% |
| 2013 | 4.56 deaths | -22.0% |
| 2014 | 4.55 deaths | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 5.19 deaths | +14.1% |
| 2016 | 4.53 deaths | -12.7% |
| 2017 | 4.51 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 4.49 deaths | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 4.55 deaths | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 4.43 deaths | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.05 deaths | 8.19 deaths | 9.86 deaths | 5 |
| 1990s | 7.79 deaths | 7 deaths | 9.75 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.12 deaths | 5.52 deaths | 6.56 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.08 deaths | 4.49 deaths | 6.35 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.43 deaths | 4.43 deaths | 4.43 deaths | 1 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 143 Israel 4.97 deaths compare
- 144 Trinidad and Tobago 4.78 deaths compare
- 145 Republic of Moldova 4.78 deaths compare
- 147 Austria 4.34 deaths compare
- 148 Bulgaria 4.25 deaths compare
- 149 Cape Verde 4.22 deaths compare
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % 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 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % 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 number of maternal deaths by region in New Zealand?
- Number of maternal deaths by region in New Zealand was 4.43 deaths in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths by region recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 9.86 deaths in 1988.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths by region recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.43 deaths in 2020.
- How does New Zealand rank for number of maternal deaths by region?
- New Zealand ranks 146th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of maternal deaths by region rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of maternal deaths by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of maternal deaths in a given year.