Stillbirth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Stillbirth rate was 22.19 per 1,000 total births in 2023. ▼ Falling
Stillbirth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 2000–2023
Source: Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org. Measured in per 1,000 total births.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) recorded 22.19 per 1,000 total births for stillbirth rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, stillbirth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 31.47 per 1,000 total births in 2000 and was at its lowest, 22.19 per 1,000 total births, in 2023.
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 5th of 43 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Stillbirth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | per 1,000 total births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 31.47 per 1,000 total births | — |
| 2001 | 30.73 per 1,000 total births | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 29.91 per 1,000 total births | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 29.13 per 1,000 total births | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 28.4 per 1,000 total births | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 27.8 per 1,000 total births | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 27.19 per 1,000 total births | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 26.65 per 1,000 total births | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 26.17 per 1,000 total births | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 25.82 per 1,000 total births | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 25.57 per 1,000 total births | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 25.42 per 1,000 total births | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 25.2 per 1,000 total births | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 24.95 per 1,000 total births | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 24.69 per 1,000 total births | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 24.33 per 1,000 total births | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 23.94 per 1,000 total births | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 23.62 per 1,000 total births | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 23.3 per 1,000 total births | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 23.02 per 1,000 total births | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 22.81 per 1,000 total births | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 22.62 per 1,000 total births | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 22.41 per 1,000 total births | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 22.19 per 1,000 total births | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 28.33 per 1,000 total births | 25.82 per 1,000 total births | 31.47 per 1,000 total births | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.4 per 1,000 total births | 23.02 per 1,000 total births | 25.57 per 1,000 total births | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.51 per 1,000 total births | 22.19 per 1,000 total births | 22.81 per 1,000 total births | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- 2 Central African Republic 32.3 per 1,000 total births compare
- 3 Djibouti 29.7 per 1,000 total births compare
- 3 Ethiopia 29.7 per 1,000 total births compare
- 5 Guinea-Bissau 29.1 per 1,000 total births compare
- 6 Chad 28.4 per 1,000 total births compare
- 7 Afghanistan 28 per 1,000 total births compare
- 8 Pakistan 27.6 per 1,000 total births compare
- 8 South Sudan 27.6 per 1,000 total births compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Population ages 50-54, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, annual growth rate 3.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0125 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate 3.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.0147 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (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 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is stillbirth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Stillbirth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 22.19 per 1,000 total births in 2023, according to Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.
- What is the highest stillbirth rate recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 31.47 per 1,000 total births in 2000.
- What is the lowest stillbirth rate recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.19 per 1,000 total births in 2023.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for stillbirth rate?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 5th out of 43 groups with data for 2023.
- Is stillbirth rate rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.0%. 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 Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org, published as part of Stillbirth rate (per 1,000 total births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Stillbirth rate is the number of fetal deaths at 28 weeks or more of gestation per 1,000 total births. Total birth is the sum of stillbirths (as just defined) and live births.