Pregnant women receiving prenatal care in South Africa

South Africa: Pregnant women receiving prenatal care was 93.7% in 2016. ▬ Flat

Latest (2016)
93.7%
World rank
58th
of 99 countries
All-time high
97.1%
in 2008
All-time low
89.0%
in 1995
Years of data
6
1995–2016

Pregnant women receiving prenatal care in South Africa, 1995–2016

0204060801001995200520161995: 89 %1998: 95 %2003: 91.9 %2004: 91.9 %2008: 97.1 %2016: 93.7 %

Source: State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 93.7% for pregnant women receiving prenatal care in 2016.

The figure is up 2.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, pregnant women receiving prenatal care in South Africa peaked at 97.1% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 89.0%, in 1995.

That places South Africa 58th out of 99 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.

Pregnant women receiving prenatal care in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Pregnant women receiving prenatal care (%) in South Africa, 1995 to 2016.
Year % Change
1995 89.0%
1998 95.0% +6.7%
2003 91.9% -3.3%
2004 91.9% +0.0%
2008 97.1% +5.7%
2016 93.7% -3.5%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 93.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 97.2%, 96% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 93.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 93.2%, 1.0× the median. (35 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 92.0% 89.0% 95.0% 2
2000s 93.6% 91.9% 97.1% 3
2010s 93.7% 93.7% 93.7% 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 55 Nicaragua 94.6% compare
  2. 56 Mozambique 94.0% compare
  3. 57 Philippines 93.8% compare
  4. 59 Barbados 93.4% compare
  5. 60 Zimbabwe 93.3% compare
  6. 61 Côte d'Ivoire 93.2% compare

See the full ranking of 99 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is pregnant women receiving prenatal care in South Africa?
Pregnant women receiving prenatal care in South Africa was 93.7% in 2016, according to State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
What is the highest pregnant women receiving prenatal care recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 97.1% in 2008.
What is the lowest pregnant women receiving prenatal care recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 89.0% in 1995.
How does South Africa rank for pregnant women receiving prenatal care?
South Africa ranks 58th out of 99 countries with data for 2016.
Is pregnant women receiving prenatal care rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Pregnant women receiving prenatal care (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Pregnant women receiving prenatal care in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/pregnant-women-receiving-prenatal-care-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Pregnant women receiving prenatal care (%)
Unit
%
Source
State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
99 places, 789 data points, 1984–2021
Last refreshed

Pregnant women receiving prenatal care are the percentage of women attended at least once during pregnancy by skilled health personnel for reasons related to pregnancy.