The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Australia
Australia: The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 was 2.94 in 2020. ▼ Falling
The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Australia, 1985–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Australia recorded 2.94 for the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 42.2% on the previous year and down 46.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Australia peaked at 9.35 in 1994 and was at its lowest, 2.94, in 2020.
Australia ranks 179th of 185 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 8.02 | — |
| 1986 | 8.01 | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 8.4 | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 8.54 | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 8.71 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 8.26 | -5.3% |
| 1991 | 8.79 | +6.4% |
| 1992 | 8.79 | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 8.96 | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 9.35 | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 8.09 | -13.5% |
| 1996 | 7.79 | -3.7% |
| 1997 | 7.88 | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 7.47 | -5.3% |
| 1999 | 7.18 | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 6.69 | -6.7% |
| 2001 | 5.97 | -10.8% |
| 2002 | 5.57 | -6.8% |
| 2003 | 5.51 | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 5.12 | -7.2% |
| 2005 | 4.6 | -10.2% |
| 2006 | 4.57 | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 5.11 | +11.8% |
| 2008 | 4.89 | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 5.38 | +10.0% |
| 2010 | 5.45 | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 5.94 | +8.9% |
| 2012 | 5.86 | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 5.99 | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 5.39 | -10.1% |
| 2015 | 5.24 | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 5.18 | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 4.77 | -7.8% |
| 2018 | 4.42 | -7.3% |
| 2019 | 5.09 | +14.9% |
| 2020 | 2.94 | -42.2% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 2.94 is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.63, 39% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Australia's 2.94 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 66.7, 4% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -42.2% | 5.09 | 2.94 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.34 | 8.01 | 8.71 | 5 |
| 1990s | 8.25 | 7.18 | 9.35 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.34 | 4.57 | 6.69 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.33 | 4.42 | 5.99 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.94 | 2.94 | 2.94 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 215 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0295 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Australia?
- The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Australia was 2.94 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 9.35 in 1994.
- What is the lowest the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.94 in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020?
- Australia ranks 179th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).