Number of maternal deaths (Trends) in South Asia
South Asia: Number of maternal deaths (Trends) was 43,000 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths in South Asia, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
In 2023, number of maternal deaths in South Asia stood at 43,000. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 8.5% on the previous year and down 41.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in South Asia peaked at 261,000 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 43,000, in 2023.
South Asia ranks 19th of 47 groups 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 South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 261,000 | — |
| 1986 | 251,000 | -3.8% |
| 1987 | 242,000 | -3.6% |
| 1988 | 233,000 | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 227,000 | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 220,000 | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 217,000 | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 209,000 | -3.7% |
| 1993 | 205,000 | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 202,000 | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 197,000 | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 192,000 | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 187,000 | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 181,000 | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 175,000 | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 170,000 | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 163,000 | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 154,000 | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 145,000 | -5.8% |
| 2004 | 136,000 | -6.2% |
| 2005 | 126,000 | -7.4% |
| 2006 | 117,000 | -7.1% |
| 2007 | 109,000 | -6.8% |
| 2008 | 102,000 | -6.4% |
| 2009 | 96,000 | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 89,000 | -7.3% |
| 2011 | 83,000 | -6.7% |
| 2012 | 78,000 | -6.0% |
| 2013 | 73,000 | -6.4% |
| 2014 | 68,000 | -6.8% |
| 2015 | 65,000 | -4.4% |
| 2016 | 61,000 | -6.2% |
| 2017 | 57,000 | -6.6% |
| 2018 | 55,000 | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 52,000 | -5.5% |
| 2020 | 52,000 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 70,000 | +34.6% |
| 2022 | 47,000 | -32.9% |
| 2023 | 43,000 | -8.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of maternal deaths (Trends) in South Asia 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 | +34.6% | 52,000 | 70,000 |
| 2022 | -32.9% | 70,000 | 47,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 242,800 | 227,000 | 261,000 | 5 |
| 1990s | 198,500 | 175,000 | 220,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 131,800 | 96,000 | 170,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 68,100 | 52,000 | 89,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 53,000 | 43,000 | 70,000 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More health data for South Asia
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0182 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per capita 0.022 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 2.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, annual growth rate -0.1224 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per capita 0.0457 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0182 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 2.26 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths in South Asia?
- Number of maternal deaths in South Asia was 43,000 in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 261,000 in 1985.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 43,000 in 2023.
- How does South Asia rank for number of maternal deaths?
- South Asia ranks 19th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia 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.