Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Number of maternal deaths was 177,000 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) is 177,000, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 19.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 236,000 in 1987 and was at its lowest, 177,000, in 2023.
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 6th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 227,000 | — |
| 1986 | 225,000 | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 236,000 | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 229,000 | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 228,000 | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 228,000 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 227,000 | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 234,000 | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 233,000 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 228,000 | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 221,000 | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 221,000 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 220,000 | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 230,000 | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 213,000 | -7.4% |
| 2000 | 210,000 | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 209,000 | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 208,000 | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 206,000 | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 205,000 | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 207,000 | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 211,000 | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 214,000 | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 220,000 | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 222,000 | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 223,000 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 222,000 | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 220,000 | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 220,000 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 220,000 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 218,000 | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 212,000 | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 206,000 | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 198,000 | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 193,000 | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 186,000 | -3.6% |
| 2021 | 193,000 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 179,000 | -7.3% |
| 2023 | 177,000 | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 229,000 | 225,000 | 236,000 | 5 |
| 1990s | 225,500 | 213,000 | 234,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 211,200 | 205,000 | 222,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 213,200 | 193,000 | 223,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 183,750 | 177,000 | 193,000 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0235 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.024 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 3.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, annual growth rate 3.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.0195 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 3.23 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 3.83 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 177,000 in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 236,000 in 1987.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 177,000 in 2023.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for number of maternal deaths?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 6th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 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.