In 2023, the infant mortality rate in deaths per 1,000 live births in Malawi amounted to 29.4. Between 1961 and 2023, the figure dropped by 133.3, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

UNICEF's country profile for Malawi, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

Historical dataset showing Malawi infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

Malawi MW: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 42.400 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 46.300 Ratio for 2015. Malawi MW: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 61.400 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 145.600 Ratio in 1990 and a record low of 42.400 Ratio in 2017. Malawi MW: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malawi – Table MW.World Bank: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, male is the number of male infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 male live births in a given year.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

Actual value and historical data chart for Malawi Mortality Rate Infant Female Per 1000 Live Births

Actual value and historical data chart for Malawi Mortality Rate Infant Male Per 1000 Live Births

Time series data for the statistic Infant_Mortality_Rate_Per_1000_Live_Births and country Malawi. Indicator Definition:Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.The statistic "Infant Mortality Rate Per 1000 Live Births" stands at 29.40 per mille as of 12/31/2023, the lowest value at least since 12/31/1962, the period currently displayed. Regarding the One-Year-Change of the series, the current value constitutes a decrease of -1.10 percentage points compared to the value the year prior.The 1 year change in percentage points is -1.10.The 3 year change in percentage points is -2.90.The 5 year change in percentage points is -5.10.The 10 year change in percentage points is -14.20.The Serie's long term average value is 107.64 per mille. It's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is 78.24 percentage points lower, compared to it's long term average value.The Serie's change in percentage points from it's minimum value, on 12/31/2023, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is +0.0.The Serie's change in percentage points from it's maximum value, on 12/31/1968, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is -136.40.

Malawi MW: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 59.800 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 64.100 Ratio for 2015. Malawi MW: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 96.700 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 242.300 Ratio in 1990 and a record low of 59.800 Ratio in 2016. Malawi MW: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malawi – Table MW.World Bank: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate, male is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn male baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to male age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; Estimates Developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted Average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

In 2023, the crude birth rate in live births per 1,000 inhabitants in Malawi was 31.38. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 22.35, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Number of infant deaths in Malawi was reported at 19212 deaths in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Malawi - Number of infant deaths - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

The 2004 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) is a nationally representative survey of 11,698 women age 1549 and 3,261 men age 15-54. The main purpose of the 2004 MDHS is to provide policymakers and programme managers with detailed information on fertility, family planning, childhood and adult mortality, maternal and child health, as well as knowledge of and attitudes related to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The 2004 MDHS is designed to provide data to monitor the population and health situation in Malawi as a followup of the 1992 and 2000 MDHS surveys, and the 1996 Malawi Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Health Survey. New features of the 2004 MDHS include the collection of information on use of mosquito nets, domestic violence, anaemia testing of women and children under 5, and HIV testing of adults. The 2004 MDHS survey was implemented by the National Statistical Office (NSO). The Ministry of Health and Population, the National AIDS Commission (NAC), the National Economic Council, and the Ministry of Gender contributed to the development of the questionnaires for the survey. Most of the funds for the local costs of the survey were provided by multiple donors through the NAC. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided additional funds for the technical assistance through ORC Macro. The Department for International Development (DfID) of the British Government, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) also provided funds for the survey. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention provided technical assistance in HIV testing. The survey used a two-stage sample based on the 1998 Census of Population and Housing and was designed to produce estimates for key indicators for ten large districts in addition to estimates for national, regional, and urban-rural domains. Fieldwork for the 2004 MDHS was carried out by 22 mobile interviewing teams. Data collection commenced on 4 October 2004 and was completed on 31 January 2005. The principal aim of the 2004 MDHS project was to provide up-to-date information on fertility and childhood mortality levels, nuptiality, fertility preferences, awareness and use of family planning methods, use of maternal and child health services, and knowledge and behaviours related to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. It was designed as a follow-on to the 2000 MDHS survey, a national-level survey of similar scope. The 2004 MDHS survey, unlike the 2000 MDHS, collected blood samples which were later tested for HIV in order to estimate HIV prevalence in Malawi. In broad terms, the 2004 MDHS survey aimed to: Assess trends in Malawi's demographic indicators, principally fertility and mortality Assist in the monitoring and evaluation of Malawi's health, population, and nutrition programmes Advance survey methodology in Malawi and contribute to national and international databases Provide national-level estimates of HIV prevalence for women age 15-49 and men age 15-54. In more specific terms, the 2004 MDHS survey was designed to: Provide data on the family planning and fertility behaviour of the Malawian population and thereby enable policymakers to evaluate and enhance family planning initiatives in the country Measure changes in fertility and contraceptive prevalence and analyse the factors that affect these changes, such as marriage patterns, desire for children, availability of contraception, breastfeeding habits, and important social and economic factors Examine basic indicators of maternal and child health and welfare in Malawi, including nutritional status, use of antenatal and maternity services, treatment of recent episodes of childhood illness, and use of immunisation services. Particular emphasis was placed on malaria programmes, including malaria prevention activities and treatment of episodes of fever. Provide levels and patterns of knowledge and behaviour related to the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections Provide national estimates of HIV prevalence Measure the level of infant and adult mortality including maternal mortality at the national level Assess the status of women in the country. MAIN FINDINGS Fertility Fertility Levels and Trends. While there has been a significant decline in fertility in the past two decades from 7.6 children in the early 1980s to 6.0 children per woman in the early 2000s, compared with selected countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, such as Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya, and Uganda, the total fertility rate (TFR) in Malawi is high, lower only than Uganda (6.9). Family planning Knowledge of Contraception. Knowledge of family planning is nearly universal, with 97 percent of women age 15-49 and 97 percent of men age 15-54 knowing at least one modern method of family planning. The most widely known modern methods of contraception among all women are injectables (93 percent), the pill and male condom (90 percent each), and female sterilisation (83 percent). Maternal health Antenatal Care. There has been little change in the coverage of antenatal care (ANC) from a medical professional since 2000 (93 percent in 2004 compared with 91 percent in 2000). Most women receive ANC from a nurse or a midwife (82 percent), although 10 percent go to a doctor or a clinical officer. A small proportion (2 percent) receives ANC from a traditional birth attendant, and 5 percent do not receive any ANC. Only 8 percent of women initiated ANC before the fourth month of pregnancy, a marginal increase from 7 percent in the 2000 MDHS. Adult and Maternal Mortality. Comparison of data from the 2000 and 2004 MDHS surveys indicates that mortality for both women and men has remained at the same levels since 1997 (11-12 deaths per 1,000). Child health Childhood Mortality. Data from the 2004 MDHS show that for the 2000-2004 period, the infant mortality rate is 76 per 1,000 live births, child mortality is 62 per 1,000, and the under-five mortality rate is 133 per 1,000 live births. Nutrition Breastfeeding Practices. Breastfeeding is nearly universal in Malawi. Ninety-eight percent of children are breastfed for some period of time. The median duration of breastfeeding in Malawi in 2004 is 23.2 months, one month shorter than in 2000. HIV/AIDS Awareness of AIDS. Knowledge of AIDS among women and men in Malawi is almost universal. This is true across age group, urban-rural residence, marital status, wealth index, and education. Nearly half of women and six in ten men can identify the two most common misconceptions about the transmission of HIV-HIV can be transmitted by mosquito bites, and HIV can be transmitted by supernatural means-and know that a healthy-looking person can have the AIDS virus.

BackgroundThe rate of decline in child mortality is too slow in most African countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of reducing under-five mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. Effective strategies to monitor child mortality are needed where accurate vital registration data are lacking to help governments assess and report on progress in child survival. We present results from a test of a mortality monitoring approach based on recording of births and deaths by specially trained community health workers (CHWs) in Malawi.Methods and FindingsGovernment-employed community health workers in Malawi are responsible for maintaining a Village Health Register, in which they record births and deaths that occur in their catchment area. We expanded on this system to provide additional training, supervision and incentives. We tested the equivalence between child mortality rates obtained from data on births and deaths collected by 160 randomly-selected and trained CHWs over twenty months in two districts to those computed through a standard household mortality survey. CHW reports produced an under-five mortality rate that was 84% (95%CI: [0.71,1.00]) of the household survey mortality rate and statistically equivalent to it. However, CHW data consistently underestimated under-five mortality, with levels of under-estimation increasing over time. Under-five deaths were more likely to be missed than births. Neonatal and infant deaths were more likely to be missed than older deaths.ConclusionThis first test of the accuracy and completeness of vital events data reported by CHWs in Malawi as a strategy for monitoring child mortality shows promising results but underestimated child mortality and was not stable over the four periods assessed. Given the Malawi government's commitment to strengthen its vital registration system, we are working with the Ministry of Health to implement a revised version of the approach that provides increased support to CHWs.

BackgroundDespite the sharp decline in global under-5 deaths since 1990, uneven progress has been achieved across and within countries. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for child mortality were met only by a few countries. Valid concerns exist as to whether the region would meet new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for under-5 mortality. We therefore examine further sources of variation by assessing age patterns, trends, and forecasts of mortality rates.Methods and findingsData came from 106 nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys (DHSs) with full birth histories from 31 SSA countries from 1990 to 2017 (a total of 524 country-years of data). We assessed the distribution of age at death through the following new demographic analyses. First, we used a direct method and full birth histories to estimate under-5 mortality rates (U5MRs) on a monthly basis. Second, we smoothed raw estimates of death rates by age and time by using a two-dimensional P-Spline approach. Third, a variant of the Lee–Carter (LC) model, designed for populations with limited data, was used to fit and forecast age profiles of mortality. We used mortality estimates from the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) to adjust, validate, and minimize the risk of bias in survival, truncation, and recall in mortality estimation. Our mortality model revealed substantive declines of death rates at every age in most countries but with notable differences in the age patterns over time. U5MRs declined from 3.3% (annual rate of reduction [ARR] 0.1%) in Lesotho to 76.4% (ARR 5.2%) in Malawi, and the pace of decline was faster on average (ARR 3.2%) than that observed for infant (IMRs) (ARR 2.7%) and neonatal (NMRs) (ARR 2.0%) mortality rates. We predict that 5 countries (Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda) are on track to achieve the under-5 sustainable development target by 2030 (25 deaths per 1,000 live births), but only Rwanda and Tanzania would meet both the neonatal (12 deaths per 1,000 live births) and under-5 targets simultaneously. Our predicted NMRs and U5MRs were in line with those estimated by the UN IGME by 2030 and 2050 (they overlapped in 27/31 countries for NMRs and 22 for U5MRs) and by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) by 2030 (26/31 and 23/31, respectively). This study has a number of limitations, including poor data quality issues that reflected bias in the report of births and deaths, preventing reliable estimates and predictions from a few countries.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this study is the first to combine full birth histories and mortality estimates from external reliable sources to model age patterns of under-5 mortality across time in SSA. We demonstrate that countries with a rapid pace of mortality reduction (ARR ≥ 3.2%) across ages would be more likely to achieve the SDG mortality targets. However, the lower pace of neonatal mortality reduction would prevent most countries from achieving those targets: 2 countries would reach them by 2030, 13 between 2030 and 2050, and 13 after 2050.

Time series data for the statistic Number of infant deaths, female and country Malawi. Indicator Definition:Number of female infants dying before reaching one year of age.The indicator "Number of infant deaths, female" stands at 8.42 Thousand as of 12/31/2023, the lowest value at least since 12/31/1963, the period currently displayed. Regarding the One-Year-Change of the series, the current value constitutes a decrease of -2.30 percent compared to the value the year prior.The 1 year change in percent is -2.30.The 3 year change in percent is -5.02.The 5 year change in percent is -8.40.The 10 year change in percent is -27.35.The Serie's long term average value is 18.32 Thousand. It's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is 54.06 percent lower, compared to it's long term average value.The Serie's change in percent from it's minimum value, on 12/31/2023, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is +0.0%.The Serie's change in percent from it's maximum value, on 12/31/1991, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is -69.84%.

In 1990, one in four newborns in Malawi died before their fifth birthday.

At that time, the average number of births per woman was almost seven. This meant that many families experienced the tragedy of losing a child.

But in recent decades, Malawi has made incredible progress. As you can see in the chart, the child mortality rate has dropped to 1 in 25 children — an 84% reduction.

Many factors have contributed to this decline. The expansion of antenatal care and the attendance of skilled health professionals at birth have been crucial in saving newborns in the earliest days of life. Increasing vaccination rates, distributing insecticide-treated bed nets and antimalarials, and programs to stop the transmission of HIV have all reduced the risks of dying in infancy.

Abstract

The 1992 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) was a nationally representative sample survey designed to provide information on levels and trends in fertility, early childhood mortality and morbidity, family planning knowledge and use, and maternal and child health. The survey was implemented by the National Statistical Office during September to November 1992. In 5323 households, 4849 women age 15-49 years and 1151 men age 20-54 years were interviewed.

The Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) was a national sample survey of women and men of reproductive age designed to provide, among other things, information on fertility, family planning, child survival, and health of mothers and children. Specifically, the main objectives of the survey were to: - Collect up-to-date information on fertility, infant and child mortality, and family planning - Collect information on health-related matters, including breastleeding, antenatal and maternity services, vaccinations, and childhood diseases and treatment - Assess the nutritional status of mothers and children - Collect information on knowledge and attitudes regarding AIDS - Collect information suitable for the estimation of mortality related to pregnancy and childbearing - Assess the availability of health and family planning services.

MAIN FINDINGS

The findings indicate that fertility in Malawi has been declining over the last decade; at current levels a woman will give birth to an average of 6.7 children during her lifetime. Fertility in rural areas is 6.9 children per woman compared to 5.5 children in urban areas. Fertility is higher in the Central Region (7.4 children per woman) than in the Northem Region (6.7) or Southern Region (6.2). Over the last decade, the average age at which a woman first gives birth has risen slightly over the last decade from 18.3 to 18.9 years. Still, over one third of women currently under 20 years of age have either already given birlh to at least one child or are currently pregnant.

Although 58 percent of currently married women would like to have another child, only 19 percent want one within the next two years. Thirty-seven percent would prefer to walt two or more years. Nearly one quarter of married women want no more children than they already have. Thus, a majority of women (61 percent) want either to delay their next birth or end childbearing altogether. This represents the proportion of women who are potentially in need of family planning. Women reported an average ideal family size of 5.7 children (i.e., wanted fertility), one child less than the actual fertility level measured in the survey--further evidence of the need for family planning methods.

Knowledge of contraceptive methods is high among all age groups and socioeconomic strata of women and men. Most women and men also know of a source to obtain a contraceptive method, although this varies by the type of method. The contraceptive pill is the most commonly cited method known by women; men are most familiar with condoms. Despite widespread knowledge of family planning, current use of contraception remains quite low. Only 7 percent of currently married women were using a modem method and another 6 percent were using a traditional method of family planning at the time of the survey. This does, however, represent an increase in the contraceptive prevalence rate (modem methods) from about 1 percent estimated from data collected in the 1984 Family Formation Survey. The modem methods most commonly used by women are the pill (2.2 percent), female sterilisation (1.7 percent), condoms (1.7 percent), and injections (1.5 percent). Men reported higher rates of contraceptive use (13 percent use of modem methods) than women. However, when comparing method-specific use rates, nearly all of the difference in use between men and women is explained by much higher condom use among men.

Early childhood mortality remains high in Malawi; the under-five mortality rate currently stands at 234 deaths per 1000 live births. The infant mortality rate was estimated at 134 per 10130 live births. This means that nearly one in seven children dies before his first birthday, and nearly one in four children does not reach his fifth birthday. The probability of child death is linked to several factors, most strikingly, low levels of maternal education and short intervals between births. Children of uneducated women are twice as likely to die in the first five years of life as children of women with a secondary education. Similarly, the probablity of under-five mortality for children with a previous birth interval of less than 2 years is two times greater than for children with a birth interval of 4 or more years. Children living in rural areas have a higher rate ofunder-fwe mortality than urban children, and children in the Central Region have higher mortality than their counterparts in the Northem and Southem Regions. Data were collected that allow estimation ofmatemalmortality. It is estimated that for every 100,000 live births, 620 women die due to causes related to pregnancy and childbearing.

The height and weight of children under five years old and their mothers were collected in the survey. The results show that nearly one half of children under age five are stunted, i.e., too short for their age; about half of these are severely stunted. By age 3, two-thirds of children are stunted. As with childhood mortality, chronic undernutrition is more common in rural areas and among children of uneducated women.

The duration of breastfeeding is relatively long in Malawi (median length, 21 months), but supplemental liquids and foods are introduced at an early age. By age 2-3 months, 76 percent of children are already receiving supplements.

Mothers were asked to report on recent episodes of illness among their young children. The results indicate that children age 6-23 months are the most vulnerable to fever, acute respiratory infection (ARI), and diarrhea. Over half of the children in this age group were reported to have had a fever, about 40 percent had a bout with diarrhea, and 20 percent had symptoms indicating ARI in the two-week period before the survey. Less than half of recently sick children had been taken to a health facility for treatment. Sixty-three percent of children with diarrhea were given rehydration therapy, using either prepackaged rehydration salts or a home-based preparation. However, one quarter of children with diarrhea received less fluid than normal during the illness, and for 17 percent of children still being breastfed, breastfeeding of the sick child was reduced.

Use of basic, preventive maternal and child health services is generally high. For 90 percent of recent births, mothers had received antenatal care from a trained medical person, most commonly a nurse or trained midwife. For 86 percent of births, mothers had received at least one dose of tetanus toxoid during pregnancy. Over half of recent births were delivered in a health facility.

Child vaccination coverage is high; 82 percent of children age 12-23 months had received the full complement of recommended vaccines, 67 percent by exact age 12 months. BCG coverage and first dose coverage for DPT and polio vaccine were 97 percent. However, 9 percent of children age 12-23 months who received the first doses of DPT and polio vaccine failed to eventually receive the recommended third doses.

Information was collected on knowledge and attitudes regarding AIDS. General knowledge of AIDS is nearly universal in Malawi; 98 percent of men and 95 percent of women said they had heard of AIDS. Further, the vast majority of men and women know that the disease is transmitted through sexual intercourse. Men tended to know more different ways of disease transmission than women, and were more likely to mention condom use as a means to prevent spread of AIDS. Women, especially those living in rural areas, are more likely to hold misconceptions about modes of disease transmission. Thirty percent of rural women believe that AIDS can not be prevented.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Household
• Women age 15-49
• Men age 20-54

Universe

The population covered by the 1992 MDHS is defined as the universe of all women age 15-49 in malawi and all men age 20-54 living in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

Based on the 1987 Malawi Population and Housing Census, the country is demarcated into 8,652 enumeration areas (EAs) of roughly equal population size. This sampling frame of census EAs was stratified by urban and rural areas within each of the three administrative regions, making six sampling strata in total. Within each sampling stratum, districts were geographically ordered, thereby providing additional implicit stratification.

The MDHS sample of households was selected in two stages. First, 225 EAs were selected from the 1987 census frame of EAs with probability proportional to population size. The distribution of selected sample points (EAs) is shown in the map of Malawi. The measure of EA size was based on the number of households enumerated during the 1987 census. NSO staff, after being trained in listing procedures and methods for updating maps, were sent to the selected EAs to list all households and produce maps which provided the orientation for later data collection teams in finding selected households. Households in refugee camps and institutional populations (army barracks, police camps, hospitals, etc.) were not listed. In the second stage, a systematic sample of households was selected from the above lists, with the sampling interval from each EA being proportional to its size based on the results of the household listing operation.

Actual value and historical data chart for Malawi Birth Rate Crude Per 1 000 People

Abstract

The 2004 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) is a nationally representative survey of 11,698 women age 1549 and 3,261 men age 15-54. The main purpose of the 2004 MDHS is to provide policymakers and programme managers with detailed information on fertility, family planning, childhood and adult mortality, maternal and child health, as well as knowledge of and attitudes related to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The 2004 MDHS is designed to provide data to monitor the population and health situation in Malawi as a followup of the 1992 and 2000 MDHS surveys, and the 1996 Malawi Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Health Survey. New features of the 2004 MDHS include the collection of information on use of mosquito nets, domestic violence, anaemia testing of women and children under 5, and HIV testing of adults.

The 2004 MDHS survey was implemented by the National Statistical Office (NSO). The Ministry of Health and Population, the National AIDS Commission (NAC), the National Economic Council, and the Ministry of Gender contributed to the development of the questionnaires for the survey. Most of the funds for the local costs of the survey were provided by multiple donors through the NAC. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided additional funds for the technical assistance through ORC Macro. The Department for International Development (DfID) of the British Government, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) also provided funds for the survey. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention provided technical assistance in HIV testing.

The survey used a two-stage sample based on the 1998 Census of Population and Housing and was designed to produce estimates for key indicators for ten large districts in addition to estimates for national, regional, and urban-rural domains. Fieldwork for the 2004 MDHS was carried out by 22 mobile interviewing teams. Data collection commenced on 4 October 2004 and was completed on 31 January 2005.

The principal aim of the 2004 MDHS project was to provide up-to-date information on fertility and childhood mortality levels, nuptiality, fertility preferences, awareness and use of family planning methods, use of maternal and child health services, and knowledge and behaviours related to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. It was designed as a follow-on to the 2000 MDHS survey, a national-level survey of similar scope. The 2004 MDHS survey, unlike the 2000 MDHS, collected blood samples which were later tested for HIV in order to estimate HIV prevalence in Malawi.

In broad terms, the 2004 MDHS survey aimed to: - Assess trends in Malawi's demographic indicators, principally fertility and mortality - Assist in the monitoring and evaluation of Malawi's health, population, and nutrition programmes - Advance survey methodology in Malawi and contribute to national and international databases - Provide national-level estimates of HIV prevalence for women age 15-49 and men age 15-54.

In more specific terms, the 2004 MDHS survey was designed to:
- Provide data on the family planning and fertility behaviour of the Malawian population and thereby enable policymakers to evaluate and enhance family planning initiatives in the country - Measure changes in fertility and contraceptive prevalence and analyse the factors that affect these changes, such as marriage patterns, desire for children, availability of contraception, breastfeeding habits, and important social and economic factors - Examine basic indicators of maternal and child health and welfare in Malawi, including nutritional status, use of antenatal and maternity services, treatment of recent episodes of childhood illness, and use of immunisation services. Particular emphasis was placed on malaria programmes, including malaria prevention activities and treatment of episodes of fever. - Provide levels and patterns of knowledge and behaviour related to the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections - Provide national estimates of HIV prevalence - Measure the level of infant and adult mortality including maternal mortality at the national level - Assess the status of women in the country.

MAIN FINDINGS

Fertility - Fertility Levels and Trends. While there has been a significant decline in fertility in the past two decades from 7.6 children in the early 1980s to 6.0 children per woman in the early 2000s, compared with selected countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, such as Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya, and Uganda, the total fertility rate (TFR) in Malawi is high, lower only than Uganda (6.9).

Family planning - Knowledge of Contraception. Knowledge of family planning is nearly universal, with 97 percent of women age 15-49 and 97 percent of men age 15-54 knowing at least one modern method of family planning. The most widely known modern methods of contraception among all women are injectables (93 percent), the pill and male condom (90 percent each), and female sterilisation (83 percent).

Maternal health - Antenatal Care. There has been little change in the coverage of antenatal care (ANC) from a medical professional since 2000 (93 percent in 2004 compared with 91 percent in 2000). Most women receive ANC from a nurse or a midwife (82 percent), although 10 percent go to a doctor or a clinical officer. A small proportion (2 percent) receives ANC from a traditional birth attendant, and 5 percent do not receive any ANC. Only 8 percent of women initiated ANC before the fourth month of pregnancy, a marginal increase from 7 percent in the 2000 MDHS.

Adult and Maternal Mortality. Comparison of data from the 2000 and 2004 MDHS surveys indicates that mortality for both women and men has remained at the same levels since 1997 (11-12 deaths per 1,000).

Child health - Childhood Mortality. Data from the 2004 MDHS show that for the 2000-2004 period, the infant mortality rate is 76 per 1,000 live births, child mortality is 62 per 1,000, and the under-five mortality rate is 133 per 1,000 live births.

Nutrition - Breastfeeding Practices. Breastfeeding is nearly universal in Malawi. Ninety-eight percent of children are breastfed for some period of time. The median duration of breastfeeding in Malawi in 2004 is 23.2 months, one month shorter than in 2000.

HIV/AIDS - Awareness of AIDS. Knowledge of AIDS among women and men in Malawi is almost universal. This is true across age group, urban-rural residence, marital status, wealth index, and education. Nearly half of women and six in ten men can identify the two most common misconceptions about the transmission of HIV-HIV can be transmitted by mosquito bites, and HIV can be transmitted by supernatural means-and know that a healthy-looking person can have the AIDS virus.

Geographic coverage

The 2004 MDHS is designed to present important characteristics for Malawi as a whole, urban and rural areas separately, and each of ten large districts. These districts are: Blantyre, Kasungu, Machinga, Mangochi, Mzimba, Salima, Tyolo, Zomba, Lilongwe, and Mulanje.

Analysis unit

• Household
• Women age 15-49
• Men age 15-54

Universe

The population covered by the 2004 MDHS is defined as the universe of all women age 15-49 in malawi and all men age 15-54 living in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

The primary objective of the 2004 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) is to provide estimates with acceptable precision for important population characteristics such as fertility, contraceptive prevalence, selected health indicators, and infant mortality rates.

Administratively, Malawi is divided into twenty-seven districts. In turn, each district is subdivided into smaller administrative units. In 1998, the National Statistical Office (NSO) carried out a Housing and Population Census. In the census, each administrative unit was sub-divided into enumeration areas (EAs), which is totally classified as urban or rural. For each EA, a sketch map was drawn. The sketch shows the EA boundaries, location of buildings, and other landmarks. The list of EAs serves as the frame for the 2004 MDHS sample.

The 2004 MDHS is designed to present important characteristics for Malawi as a whole, urban and rural areas separately, and each of ten large districts. These districts are: Blantyre, Kasungu, Machinga, Mangochi, Mzimba, Salima, Tyolo, Zomba, Lilongwe, and Mulanje. In the interest of presenting estimates for the remaining 17 districts in Malawi in as much breakdown as possible, these districts are grouped as follows: - Group 1: The rest of the Northern region (Chitipa, Karonga, Rumphi, Likoma, and Nkhata Bay) - Group 2: Dowa, Dedza, and Nkhotakota - Group 3: Mchinji and Ntchisi - Group 4: Mwanza, Chikwawa, and Nsanje - Group 5: Phalombe and Chiradzulu - Group 6: Balaka and Ntcheu

SAMPLE ALOCATION

The target sample for the 2004 MDHS sample is about 15,140 households. Based on the level of non-response found in the 2000 MDHS, approximately 13,000 women with completed interviews are expected to be obtained. A sample of households will be selected from each EA, and all women age 15 to 49 identified in these households were interviewed. One in every three sampled households was selected for the male survey and HIV testing. All men age 15-54 in these households are eligible for individual interview. The selected households will be distributed in 522 EAs, 64 in the urban and 458 in the rural areas.

SAMPLE SELECTION

The 2004 MDHS sample will be selected using a stratified two-stage cluster design. In each domain, the clusters are selected with a probability proportional to household size

Over the last two observations, the life expectancy has significantly increased in all gender groups As part of the positive trend, the life expectancy reaches the maximum value for the different genders at the end of the comparison period. Particularly noteworthy is the life expectancy of women at birth, which has the highest value of 70.56 years. Life expectancy at birth refers to the number of years the average newborn is expected to live, providing that mortality patterns at the time of birth do not change thereafter.Find further similar statistics for other countries or regions like Brunei and El Salvador.

Malawi MW: Number of Death: Infant data was reported at 25,754.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 26,347.000 Person for 2016. Malawi MW: Number of Death: Infant data is updated yearly, averaging 47,941.000 Person from Dec 1966 (Median) to 2017, with 52 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 60,112.000 Person in 1989 and a record low of 25,754.000 Person in 2017. Malawi MW: Number of Death: Infant data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malawi – Table MW.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of infants dying before reaching one year of age.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum;