New data published in the report, Trends in maternal mortality 2000 to 2023, reveal that progress in reducing maternal deaths has slowed significantly in recent years, with the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) declining by only 1.5 per cent annually since 2016. The report, produced by the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group – comprising UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO, the World Bank Group, and the United Nations Population Division – tracks maternal deaths nationally, regionally, and globally over the past two decades. In 2023, an estimated 260,000 women died from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes, equivalent to one woman every two minutes. While this represents a 40 per cent reduction since 2000, the global MMR of 197 deaths per 100,000 live births remains nearly three times higher than the SDG target of 70 by 2030. Nearly 70 per cent of all maternal deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, where conflict and health system fragility continue to drive poor outcomes. In countries classified as experiencing conflict or institutional fragility, maternal mortality ratios are more than five times higher than in stable settings. These figures underscore the urgent need for renewed investment and commitment to universal access to quality maternal health care – especially in the most fragile contexts.
