Number of maternal deaths (Trends) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Number of maternal deaths (Trends) was 120 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths in Malaysia, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
In 2023, number of maternal deaths in Malaysia stood at 120. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 25.0% on the previous year and down 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in Malaysia peaked at 290 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 120, in 2023.
Malaysia ranks 75th 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 (Trends) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 290 | — |
| 1986 | 270 | -6.9% |
| 1987 | 260 | -3.7% |
| 1988 | 250 | -3.8% |
| 1989 | 240 | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 240 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 240 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 240 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 240 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 230 | -4.2% |
| 1995 | 230 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 230 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 220 | -4.3% |
| 1998 | 210 | -4.5% |
| 1999 | 210 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 190 | -9.5% |
| 2001 | 180 | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 170 | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 160 | -5.9% |
| 2004 | 150 | -6.2% |
| 2005 | 150 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 140 | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 140 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 140 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 140 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 140 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 140 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 140 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 150 | +7.1% |
| 2014 | 150 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 150 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 150 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 150 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 140 | -6.7% |
| 2019 | 140 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 130 | -7.1% |
| 2021 | 220 | +69.2% |
| 2022 | 160 | -27.3% |
| 2023 | 120 | -25.0% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 120 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 36, 3.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 120 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 16, 7.5× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of maternal deaths (Trends) in Malaysia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +69.2% | 130 | 220 |
| 2022 | -27.3% | 220 | 160 |
| 2023 | -25.0% | 160 | 120 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 262 | 240 | 290 | 5 |
| 1990s | 229 | 210 | 240 | 10 |
| 2000s | 156 | 140 | 190 | 10 |
| 2010s | 145 | 140 | 150 | 10 |
| 2020s | 157.5 | 120 | 220 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More health data for Malaysia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.9119 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2888 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 652 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 18 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7207 % 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 0.0297 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5991 % 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 0.0316 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths in Malaysia?
- Number of maternal deaths in Malaysia was 120 in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 290 in 1985.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 120 in 2023.
- How does Malaysia rank for number of maternal deaths?
- Malaysia ranks 75th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO), 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 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
A maternal death refers to the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.