Maternal mortality — Fact Sheet
Cited in 2 Likelier entries (2 risks, 0 decisions).
Used in 2 entries
For each citing entry, the verbatim excerpt and Likelier's calculation notes (how the source's number was converted to the lifetime-probability framing) are shown below. Click through to read the full claim ledger.
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260,000 maternal deaths globally in 2023; Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for ~70% (182,000); lifetime risk 1 in 66 in low-income countries vs 1 in 7,933 in high-income countries
“"About 260 000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2023. [...] Sub-Saharan Africa alone accounted for around 70% of maternal deaths (182 000). [...] In high income countries, this is 1 in 7,933, versus 1 in 66 in low-income countries."”
Calculation notes
The WHO fact sheet is the public-facing summary of the joint WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA/World Bank/UNDESA Trends in Maternal Mortality 2000-2023 report. It confirms SSA's 70% share of global maternal deaths (182,000 of 260,000) and the low-income-country lifetime risk of 1 in 66. The SSA-specific lifetime risk of 1 in 55 comes from the companion World Bank SH.MMR.RISK data series, which is more granular than the income-group aggregation in the WHO fact sheet. The MMR for SSA (~540 per 100,000 live births) is derived from the MMEIG modelled estimates and is roughly 54x the high-income-country average of ~10.
Independence note: WHO fact sheet and World Bank SH.MMR.RISK are both outputs of the UN MMEIG. They are branches of the same model run, not independent estimates.
Source date: 2024-04-26 · Accessed: 2026-04-18
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- Statistic
260,000 maternal deaths globally in 2023; global MMR 197 per 100,000 live births; lifetime risk 1 in 66 (low-income countries) vs 1 in 7,933 (high-income countries); Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for ~70% of maternal deaths (182,000)
“"About 260 000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2023. [...] The global MMR in 2023 was 197 per 100 000 live births [...] The MMR in low-income countries in 2023 was 346 per 100 000 live births versus 10 per 100 000 live births in high income countries. [...] In high income countries, this is 1 in 7933, versus 1 in 66 in low-income countries. [...] Sub-Saharan Africa alone accounted for around 70% of maternal deaths (182 000)."”
Calculation notes
The WHO fact sheet is the public-facing summary of the WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA/ World Bank/UNDESA Trends in Maternal Mortality 2000-2023 report. It anchors the native ratio (197 per 100,000 live births in 2023) and the endpoints of the regional breakdown (lifetime risk 1 in 66 in low-income countries, 1 in 7,933 in high-income countries). The normalized global lifetime figure of 1 in 272 is not in the fact sheet itself — it comes from the companion World Bank SH.MMR.RISK data series, which pulls from the same MMEIG estimation model. Both are cited here.
Independence note: WHO fact sheet and the World Bank SH.MMR.RISK series are both outputs of the UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), which includes WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank, and UNDESA. They are branches of the same model run, not independent estimates. Treat as one authoritative body of evidence reported through two public channels.
Source date: 2024-04-26 · Accessed: 2026-04-11
