Contact Contacts
Maternal mortality ratio — all countries

Maternal mortality ratio — South Africa

Maternal mortality ratio in South Africa in 2023 — 118 per 100k. Ranked 133 in the world out of 194. Since 1985, the indicator has fallen by 43.3%.

2023 118 per 100k −8.53% vs 2022
World rank 133of 194
Period maximum 283 per 100k2006
Period minimum 118 per 100k2020

Trend over time

1985–2023 · per 100,000 live births

Maternal mortality ratio — South Africa, 1985–2023100150200250300198519891993199720012005200920132017202120231985: 208 per 100k1986: 200 per 100k1987: 192 per 100k1988: 184 per 100k1989: 177 per 100k1990: 170 per 100k1991: 162 per 100k1992: 152 per 100k1993: 145 per 100k1994: 133 per 100k1995: 125 per 100k1996: 150 per 100k1997: 152 per 100k1998: 152 per 100k1999: 151 per 100k2000: 175 per 100k2001: 192 per 100k2002: 225 per 100k2003: 245 per 100k2004: 259 per 100k2005: 279 per 100k2006: 283 per 100k2007: 272 per 100k2008: 272 per 100k2009: 241 per 100k2010: 226 per 100k2011: 202 per 100k2012: 194 per 100k2013: 180 per 100k2014: 162 per 100k2015: 150 per 100k2016: 141 per 100k2017: 134 per 100k2018: 128 per 100k2019: 119 per 100k2020: 118 per 100k2021: 191 per 100k2022: 129 per 100k2023: 118 per 100k
Change over the period: −90 (−43.27%) Average annual rate: -1.48 %

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Africa

South Africa 118 per 100k
World 197 per 100k
Sub-Saharan Africa 448 per 100k
Southern Africa computed 132 per 100k
Upper-middle-income countries computed 43 per 100k
Maternal mortality ratio — South Africa, by year South Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year per 100k Change Change, %
2023 118 −11 −8.53%
2022 129 −62 −32.46%
2021 191 +73 +61.86%
2020 118 −1 −0.84%
2019 119 −9 −7.03%
2018 128 −6 −4.48%
2017 134 −7 −4.96%
2016 141 −9 −6%
2015 150 −12 −7.41%
2014 162 −18 −10%
2013 180 −14 −7.22%
2012 194 −8 −3.96%
2011 202 −24 −10.62%
2010 226 −15 −6.22%
2009 241 −31 −11.4%
2008 272 +0 +0%
2007 272 −11 −3.89%
2006 283 +4 +1.43%
2005 279 +20 +7.72%
2004 259 +14 +5.71%
2003 245 +20 +8.89%
2002 225 +33 +17.19%
2001 192 +17 +9.71%
2000 175 +24 +15.89%
1999 151 −1 −0.66%
1998 152 +0 +0%
1997 152 +2 +1.33%
1996 150 +25 +20%
1995 125 −8 −6.02%
1994 133 −12 −8.28%
1993 145 −7 −4.61%
1992 152 −10 −6.17%
1991 162 −8 −4.71%
1990 170 −7 −3.95%
1989 177 −7 −3.8%
1988 184 −8 −4.17%
1987 192 −8 −4%
1986 200 −8 −3.85%
1985 208 — —

Southern Africa, 2023

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

SZ Eswatini 118 ZA South Africa 118 NA Namibia 139 BW Botswana 155 LS Lesotho 478
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The number of women who died during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of its end from causes related to pregnancy, per 100,000 live births. The gap between countries exceeds a hundredfold and is almost entirely explained by the availability of skilled attendance at birth and of emergency obstetric care.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

Other indicators for South Africa

Demography Adolescent fertility rate

How many births there are per thousand girls aged 15–19 during a year.

South Africa by year Mortality Adult mortality rate, female

How many women out of a thousand fifteen-year-olds will not live to sixty.

South Africa by year Indexes Gender inequality index

A composite measure of inequality between the sexes: health, representation and labor market participation.

South Africa by year Mortality Under-five mortality rate

The probability of dying before the fifth birthday — per 1,000 live births.

South Africa by year
All indicators for South Africa