Number of maternal deaths (Trends) in OECD members
OECD members: Number of maternal deaths (Trends) was 2,400 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths in OECD members, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
In 2023, number of maternal deaths in OECD members stood at 2,400. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
The figure is down 20.0% on the previous year and down 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in OECD members peaked at 6,700 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 2,400, in 2023.
That places OECD members 34th out of 47 groups 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 (Trends) in OECD members, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 6,700 | — |
| 1986 | 6,300 | -6.0% |
| 1987 | 6,000 | -4.8% |
| 1988 | 5,700 | -5.0% |
| 1989 | 5,500 | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 5,400 | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 5,200 | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 5,000 | -3.8% |
| 1993 | 4,800 | -4.0% |
| 1994 | 4,700 | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 4,500 | -4.3% |
| 1996 | 4,300 | -4.4% |
| 1997 | 4,200 | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 4,100 | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 4,000 | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 3,900 | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 3,800 | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 3,700 | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 3,600 | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 3,500 | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 3,400 | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 3,400 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3,300 | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 3,300 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3,300 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3,200 | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 3,100 | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 3,100 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3,000 | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 3,000 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2,900 | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 2,900 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2,800 | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 2,800 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2,700 | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 3,500 | +29.6% |
| 2021 | 5,100 | +45.7% |
| 2022 | 3,000 | -41.2% |
| 2023 | 2,400 | -20.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of maternal deaths (Trends) in OECD members 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 | +45.7% | 3,500 | 5,100 |
| 2022 | -41.2% | 5,100 | 3,000 |
| 2020 | +29.6% | 2,700 | 3,500 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6,040 | 5,500 | 6,700 | 5 |
| 1990s | 4,620 | 4,000 | 5,400 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,520 | 3,300 | 3,900 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,950 | 2,700 | 3,200 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,500 | 2,400 | 5,100 | 4 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
- 31 Yemen 1,600 compare
- 32 Malawi 1,500 compare
- 32 Philippines 1,500 compare
- 34 China 1,400 compare
- 34 South Africa 1,400 compare
- 36 Mozambique 1,300 compare
- 36 Senegal 1,300 compare
More health data for OECD members
- Population ages 05-09, male, per capita 0.0282 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0334 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate -0.2511 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, annual growth rate 0.2277 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, female, annual growth rate -0.5618 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths in OECD members?
- Number of maternal deaths in OECD members was 2,400 in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 6,700 in 1985.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,400 in 2023.
- How does OECD members rank for number of maternal deaths?
- OECD members ranks 34th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD members 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.
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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.