The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Ireland
Ireland: The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 was 4.98 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Ireland, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 4.98 deaths per 100,000 live births 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 9.8% on the previous year and down 23.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Ireland peaked at 11.06 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985 and was at its lowest, 4.98 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2020.
Ireland ranks 164th 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 Ireland, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 11.06 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 10.02 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.3% |
| 1987 | 9.89 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 10.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 9.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 10.84 deaths per 100,000 live births | +10.7% |
| 1991 | 10.44 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 10.86 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 9.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | -16.0% |
| 1994 | 9.3 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 9.96 deaths per 100,000 live births | +7.0% |
| 1996 | 8.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | -13.3% |
| 1997 | 10.47 deaths per 100,000 live births | +21.3% |
| 1998 | 9.62 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.1% |
| 1999 | 8.28 deaths per 100,000 live births | -13.9% |
| 2000 | 10.45 deaths per 100,000 live births | +26.3% |
| 2001 | 9.32 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.8% |
| 2002 | 8.45 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.3% |
| 2003 | 7.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | -12.2% |
| 2004 | 7.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | +7.6% |
| 2005 | 8.61 deaths per 100,000 live births | +7.9% |
| 2006 | 7.91 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | -11.2% |
| 2008 | 7.59 deaths per 100,000 live births | +8.0% |
| 2009 | 7.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 6.55 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 7.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | +13.3% |
| 2012 | 7.04 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 6.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 2014 | 6.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 6.49 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 5.34 deaths per 100,000 live births | -17.6% |
| 2017 | 5.58 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 5.43 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 5.52 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 4.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.18 deaths per 100,000 live births | 9.8 deaths per 100,000 live births | 11.06 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 9.75 deaths per 100,000 live births | 8.28 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10.86 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.19 deaths per 100,000 live births | 7.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10.45 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.21 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5.34 deaths per 100,000 live births | 7.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 161 Austria 5.23 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 162 Estonia 5.18 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 163 Turkmenistan 5.15 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 165 Slovakia 4.82 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 166 Croatia 4.82 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 167 Belgium 4.76 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
More health data for Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -4.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.89 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,122 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 20 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -0.8894 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.0884 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -0.8627 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0926 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Ireland?
- The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Ireland was 4.98 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 11.06 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985.
- What is the lowest the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.98 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.
- How does Ireland rank for the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020?
- Ireland ranks 164th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by 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
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About this data
The estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.