Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Number of maternal deaths was 187,000 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
In 2023, number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 187,000. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 241,000 in 1987 and was at its lowest, 187,000, in 2022.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 5th of 45 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 234,000 | — |
| 1986 | 231,000 | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 241,000 | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 234,000 | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 232,000 | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 232,000 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 231,000 | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 238,000 | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 237,000 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 232,000 | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 224,000 | -3.4% |
| 1996 | 225,000 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 223,000 | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 233,000 | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 216,000 | -7.3% |
| 2000 | 213,000 | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 212,000 | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 211,000 | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 209,000 | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 207,000 | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 210,000 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 214,000 | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 217,000 | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 223,000 | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 226,000 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 227,000 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 227,000 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 225,000 | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 224,000 | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 225,000 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 224,000 | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 219,000 | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 214,000 | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 205,000 | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 200,000 | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 194,000 | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 203,000 | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 187,000 | -7.9% |
| 2023 | 187,000 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 234,400 | 231,000 | 241,000 | 5 |
| 1990s | 229,100 | 216,000 | 238,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 214,200 | 207,000 | 226,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 219,000 | 200,000 | 227,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 192,750 | 187,000 | 203,000 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 2 Democratic Republic of Congo 19,000 compare
- 2 India 19,000 compare
- 4 Pakistan 11,000 compare
- 5 Ethiopia 8,000 compare
- 6 Afghanistan 7,600 compare
- 7 Tanzania, United Republic of 6,500 compare
- 8 Indonesia 6,300 compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 0-14, total, per capita 0.4038 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate 3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.2801 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, annual growth rate 3.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per capita 0.2837 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, annual growth rate 2.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa was 187,000 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?
- The highest recorded value was 241,000 in 1987.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 187,000 in 2022.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for number of maternal deaths?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 5th out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.