Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Number of maternal deaths was 177,000 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 177,000 for number of maternal deaths in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is 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 (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 236,000 in 1987 and was at its lowest, 177,000, in 2023.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 6th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it 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 (IDA & IBRD countries), 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 (IDA & IBRD countries)
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.0195 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 3.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, per capita 0.0156 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, annual growth rate 3.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, per capita 0.0189 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, 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 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 236,000 in 1987.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 177,000 in 2023.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for number of maternal deaths?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 6th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- 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 (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.