Number of maternal deaths in World
World: Number of maternal deaths was 260,000 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths in World, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of maternal deaths in World is 260,000, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
The figure is down 3.0% on the previous year and down 23.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in World peaked at 625,000 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 260,000, in 2023.
That places World 1st out of 45 regions with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Number of maternal deaths in World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 625,000 | — |
| 1986 | 608,000 | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 604,000 | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 582,000 | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 569,000 | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 559,000 | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 544,000 | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 537,000 | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 526,000 | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 514,000 | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 498,000 | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 490,000 | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 478,000 | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 481,000 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 454,000 | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 443,000 | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 433,000 | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 420,000 | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 407,000 | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 396,000 | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 387,000 | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 381,000 | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 376,000 | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 374,000 | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 369,000 | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 362,000 | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 355,000 | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 348,000 | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 340,000 | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 334,000 | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 328,000 | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 318,000 | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 308,000 | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 295,000 | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 286,000 | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 283,000 | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 322,000 | +13.8% |
| 2022 | 268,000 | -16.8% |
| 2023 | 260,000 | -3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 597,600 | 569,000 | 625,000 | 5 |
| 1990s | 508,100 | 454,000 | 559,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 398,600 | 369,000 | 443,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 327,400 | 286,000 | 362,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 283,250 | 260,000 | 322,000 | 4 |
Countries ranked near World
More health data for World
- Population ages 65 and above, total, annual growth rate 2.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, per capita 0.104 units per person (2025)
- Population, female, annual growth rate 0.9361 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, female, per capita 0.4973 units per person (2025)
- Population, male, annual growth rate 0.8952 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, male, per capita 0.5027 units per person (2025)
- Population, male 50.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths in World?
- Number of maternal deaths in World was 260,000 in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 625,000 in 1985.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 260,000 in 2023.
- How does World rank for number of maternal deaths?
- World ranks 1st out of 45 regions with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this World 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.
Download this data
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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.