Maternal mortality rates can vary significantly around the world. For example, in 2022, Estonia had a maternal mortality rate of zero per 100,000 live births, while Mexico reported a rate of 38 deaths per 100,000 live births. However, the regions with the highest number of maternal deaths are Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, with differences between countries and regions often reflecting inequalities in health care services and access. Most causes of maternal mortality are preventable and treatable with the most common causes including severe bleeding, infections, complications during delivery, high blood pressure during pregnancy, and unsafe abortion. Maternal mortality in the United States In 2022, there were a total of 817 maternal deaths in the United States. Women aged 25 to 39 years accounted for 578 of these deaths, however, rates of maternal mortality are much higher among women aged 40 years and older. In 2022, the rate of maternal mortality among women aged 40 years and older in the U.S. was 87 per 100,000 live births, compared to a rate of 21 among women aged 25 to 39 years. The rate of maternal mortality in the U.S. has risen in recent years among all age groups. Differences in maternal mortality in the U.S. by race/ethnicity Sadly, there are great disparities in maternal mortality in the United States among different races and ethnicities. In 2022, the rate of maternal mortality among non-Hispanic white women was about 19 per 100,000 live births, while non-Hispanic Black women died from maternal causes at a rate of almost 50 per 100,000 live births. Rates of maternal mortality have risen for white and Hispanic women in recent years, but Black women have by far seen the largest increase in maternal mortality. In 2022, around 253 Black women died from maternal causes in the United States.

Maternal mortality ratio is defined as the number of female deaths due to obstetric causes (ICD-10 codes: A34, O00-O95, O98-O99) while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy. The maternal mortality ratio indicates the likelihood of a pregnant person dying of obstetric causes. It is calculated by dividing the number of deaths among birthing people attributable to obstetric causes in a calendar year by the number of live births registered for the same period and is presented as a rate per 100,000 live births. The number of live births used in the denominator approximates the population of pregnant and birthing people who are at risk. Data are not presented for geographies with number of maternal deaths less than 11.Compared to other high-income countries, women in the US are more likely to die from childbirth or problems related to pregnancy. In addition, there are persistent disparities by race and ethnicity, with Black pregnant persons experiencing a much higher rate of maternal mortality compared to White pregnant persons. Improving the quality of medical care for pregnant individuals before, during, and after pregnancy can help reduce maternal deaths.For more information about the Community Health Profiles Data Initiative, please see the initiative homepage.

The number of maternal deaths and maternal mortality rates for selected causes, 2000 to most recent year.

In 2023, there were around 259 maternal deaths among non-Hispanic white women in the United States. This statistic presents the number of maternal deaths in the United States from 2018 to 2023, by race and ethnicity.

United States US: Maternal Mortality Ratio: Modeled Estimate: per 100,000 Live Births data was reported at 14.000 Ratio in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 14.000 Ratio for 2014. United States US: Maternal Mortality Ratio: Modeled Estimate: per 100,000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 13.000 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.000 Ratio in 2009 and a record low of 11.000 Ratio in 1998. United States US: Maternal Mortality Ratio: Modeled Estimate: per 100,000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Maternal mortality ratio is the number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination per 100,000 live births. The data are estimated with a regression model using information on the proportion of maternal deaths among non-AIDS deaths in women ages 15-49, fertility, birth attendants, and GDP.; ; WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group, and the United Nations Population Division. Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2015. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2015; Weighted average; This indicator represents the risk associated with each pregnancy and is also a Sustainable Development Goal Indicator for monitoring maternal health.

In 2023, non-Hispanic Black women had the highest rates of maternal mortality among select races/ethnicities in the United States, with 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births. The total maternal mortality rate in the U.S. at that time was 18.6 per 100,000 live births, a decrease from a rate of almost 33 in 2021. This statistic presents the maternal mortality rates in the United States from 2018 to 2023, by race and ethnicity.

Germany DE: Maternal Mortality Ratio: Modeled Estimate: per 100,000 Live Births data was reported at 4.000 Ratio in 2023. This stayed constant from the previous number of 4.000 Ratio for 2022. Germany DE: Maternal Mortality Ratio: Modeled Estimate: per 100,000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 6.000 Ratio from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2023, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.000 Ratio in 1986 and a record low of 4.000 Ratio in 2023. Germany DE: Maternal Mortality Ratio: Modeled Estimate: per 100,000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Germany – Table DE.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Maternal mortality ratio is the number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination per 100,000 live births. The data are estimated with a regression model using information on the proportion of maternal deaths among non-AIDS deaths in women ages 15-49, fertility, birth attendants, and GDP measured using purchasing power parities (PPPs).;WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group, and UNDESA/Population Division. Trends in maternal mortality estimates 2000 to 2023. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2025;Weighted average;This indicator represents the risk associated with each pregnancy and is also a Sustainable Development Goal Indicator (3.1.1) for monitoring maternal health.

For most of human history, pregnancy and childbirth were very risky; mothers would die in at least 1 in 100 pregnancies.1

Since the average woman would have at least four or five children, the lifetime risk of dying from maternal causes would be at least 1 in 25.2 This was true everywhere.

Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. We’ve made huge strides in not only protecting infants in childbirth and the early stages of their lives, but we’ve also made it much safer for women.

But we’re not done yet. There are still huge inequalities in the risks of pregnancy across the world. Pregnant women in countries like Sierra Leone and Kenya are around 100 times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than those in countries like Norway, Sweden, or Germany.3 But it doesn’t have to be this way. We could save hundreds of thousands of lives a year by closing these gaps.

I’ve compared three scenarios in the chart below to clarify these points.

First, we can see that the situation today is awful. 286,000 women died from maternal causes in 2020.4 That’s 784 deaths per day on average, or one mother dying every two minutes.5

Second, we can consider the very high maternal mortality rates of the past. Particularly good long-term data is available for Finland or Sweden, which shows that in 1750, around 900 women died per 100,000 live births.6 Since there were 135 million births in 2020, I calculate that 1.2 million women would have died from maternal causes that year if these rates hadn’t improved.7 Things are much, much better than they used to be.

Finally, things can still be much better. We know this because some countries have maternal mortality rates that are far lower than the global average. And they all used to be in a similar position to the worst-off countries today. In Europe, the maternal mortality rate was 8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. That’s around 25 times lower than the global average.8 If all countries could achieve the same outcomes as Europe, 11,000 women would have died from maternal causes in 2020 — a small fraction of the 286,000 deaths that occurred.9

Providing the best conditions for women everywhere would reduce the global death toll by 275,000 maternal deaths a year.

Austria AT: Number of Maternal Death data was reported at 5.000 Person in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.000 Person for 2022. Austria AT: Number of Maternal Death data is updated yearly, averaging 5.000 Person from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2023, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.000 Person in 1986 and a record low of 4.000 Person in 2009. Austria AT: Number of Maternal Death data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Austria – Table AT.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. A maternal death refers to the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.;WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group, and UNDESA/Population Division. Trends in maternal mortality estimates 2000 to 2023. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2025;Sum;

Women 40 years and over have the highest rates of maternal mortality in the United States. In 2023, the rate of maternal mortality among this age group was around 60 per 100,000 live births. This statistic presents maternal mortality rates in the United States from 2018 to 2023, by age group.

Maternal deaths of Chad slipped by 1.61% from 6,200 number in 2022 to 6,100 number in 2023. Since the 1.52% climb in 2021, maternal deaths dropped by 8.96% in 2023. Maternal mortality deaths is the number of women who die during pregnancy and childbirth.

The number of deaths during pregnancy or childbirth in Italy decreased in the last two decades, shifting from ** in 2000 to ** in 2020. This figure displays the number of women who died in Italy during pregnancy or childbirth in selected years between 2000 and 2020.

Maternal deaths of Trinidad and Tobago shot up by 80.00% from 5 number in 2022 to 9 number in 2023. Since the 40.00% drop in 2020, maternal deaths soared by 50.00% in 2023. Maternal mortality deaths is the number of women who die during pregnancy and childbirth.

In 2022, the number of deaths resulting from complications of pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium amounted to ** cases in Spain, up from ** deaths registered in 2020. This figure experienced fluctuations during the analyzed period, reaching its highest value in 2008 when maternal deaths added up to ** cases in the European country. Women between 30 and 39 years account for the highest number of pregnancy-related deaths in Spain.

Abstract Objective To study the structure ofmaternalmortality caused by abortion in the Tula region. Methods The medical records of deceased pregnant women, childbirth, and postpartum from January 01, 2001, to December 31, 2015, were analyzed. Results Overall, 204,095 abortion cases were recorded in the Tula region for over 15 years. The frequency of abortion was reduced 4-fold, with 18,200 in 2001 to 4,538 in 2015. The rate of abortions per 1,000 women (age 15-44 years) for 15 years decreased by 40.5%, that is, from 46.53 (2001) to 18.84 (2015), and that of abortions per 100 live births and stillbirths was 29.5%, that is, from 161.7 (2001) to 41.5 (2015). Five women died from abortion complications that began outside of the hospital, which accounted for 0.01% of the total number. In the structure of causes of maternal mortality for 15 years, abortion represented 14.3% of the cases. Lethality mainly occurred in the period from 2001 to 2005 (4 cases). Among thematernal deaths, many women died in rural areas after pregnancy termination at 18 to 20 weeks of gestation (n = 4). In addition, three women died from sepsis and two from bleeding. Conclusion The introduction of modern, effective technologies of family planning has reduced maternal mortality due to abortion.

Netherlands NL: Maternal Mortality Ratio: Modeled Estimate: per 100,000 Live Births data was reported at 7.000 Ratio in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 7.000 Ratio for 2014. Netherlands NL: Maternal Mortality Ratio: Modeled Estimate: per 100,000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 12.000 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.000 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 7.000 Ratio in 2015. Netherlands NL: Maternal Mortality Ratio: Modeled Estimate: per 100,000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Netherlands – Table NL.World Bank: Health Statistics. Maternal mortality ratio is the number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination per 100,000 live births. The data are estimated with a regression model using information on the proportion of maternal deaths among non-AIDS deaths in women ages 15-49, fertility, birth attendants, and GDP.; ; WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group, and the United Nations Population Division. Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2015. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2015; Weighted average; This indicator represents the risk associated with each pregnancy and is also a Sustainable Development Goal Indicator for monitoring maternal health.

Maternal mortality is widely considered an indicator of overall population health and the status of women in the population. DOHMH uses multiple methods including death certificates, vital records linkage, medical examiner records, and hospital discharge data to identify all pregnancy-associated deaths (deaths that occur during pregnancy or within a year of the end of pregnancy) of New York state residents in NYC each year. DOHMH convenes the Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (M3RC), a multidisciplinary and diverse group of 40 members that conducts an in-depth, expert review of each pregnancy-associated death of New York state residents occurring in NYC from both clinical and social determinants of health perspectives. The data in this table come from vital records and the M3RC review process. Data are not cross-classified on all variables: cause of death data are available by the relation to pregnancy (pregnancy-related, pregnancy-associated but not related, unable to determine), race/ethnicity and borough of residence data are each separately available for the total number of pregnancy-associated deaths and pregnancy-related deaths only.

Maternal deaths of Georgia slumped by 10.00% from 10 number in 2022 to 9 number in 2023. Since the 93.33% surge in 2021, maternal deaths sank by 68.97% in 2023. Maternal mortality deaths is the number of women who die during pregnancy and childbirth.

Maternal deaths of Cuba plummeted by 15.38% from 39 number in 2022 to 33 number in 2023. Since the 314.63% surge in 2021, maternal deaths sank by 80.59% in 2023. Maternal mortality deaths is the number of women who die during pregnancy and childbirth.

Between 2007 and 2016, the rate of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. for women aged 20 to 24 years was 12.2 per 100,000 live births. The statistic illustrates pregnancy-related death rates in the U.S. from 2007 to 2016, by age. Roughly 700 women in the U.S. die every year due to pregnancy or its resulting complications.