Maternal mortality rates worldwide in 2019, by country

Maternal mortality rates can vary significantly around the world. For example, in 2019, Ireland had a maternal mortality rate of zero per 100,000 live births, while Columbia reported a rate of almost 51 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 2020, there were a total of 861 maternal deaths in the United States. Women aged 25 to 39 years accounted for 607 of these deaths, however, rates of maternal mortality are much higher among women aged 40 years and older. In 2020, the rate of maternal mortality among women aged 40 years and older in the U.S. was almost 108 per 100,000 live births, compared to a rate of just 22.8 among women aged 25 to 39 years. The overall 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 ethnicity

Sadly, there are great disparities in maternal mortality in the United States among different races and ethnicities. In 2020, 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 55 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 2020, around 293 black women died from maternal causes.