West Africa Dispatch

West Africa

How estimated maternal mortality changed in West Africa

Ghana’s estimated maternal mortality ratio fell from 472 to 234 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2000 and 2023. Senegal’s estimate moved from 581 to 237.

Sources checked

West Africa Dispatch Editorial Team

2023Maternal mortality ratio by country
  • Nigeria993 deaths per 100,000 births
  • Benin518 deaths per 100,000 births
  • Côte d’Ivoire359 deaths per 100,000 births
  • Senegal237 deaths per 100,000 births
  • Ghana234 deaths per 100,000 births

The latest estimated ratios use 2023 live births as the denominator.

Source 1

Maternal mortality ratio, 2000 to 2023

Shared scale from zero to 1,250.00 deaths per 100,000 births. A gap marks a year without an observation.

Benin

Benin · deaths per 100,000 births2000: 529.00 · 2001: 532.00 · 2002: 534.00 · 2003: 532.00 · 2004: 531.00 · 2005: 514.00 · 2006: 509.00 · 2007: 501.00 · 2008: 563.00 · 2009: 598.00 · 2010: 607.00 · 2011: 613.00 · 2012: 618.00 · 2013: 607.00 · 2014: 605.00 · 2015: 606.00 · 2016: 604.00 · 2017: 592.00 · 2018: 585.00 · 2019: 572.00 · 2020: 578.00 · 2021: 584.00 · 2022: 547.00 · 2023: 518.00

20002023

518.00 deaths per 100,000 births · 2023

Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire · deaths per 100,000 births2000: 378.00 · 2001: 405.00 · 2002: 427.00 · 2003: 451.00 · 2004: 456.00 · 2005: 492.00 · 2006: 544.00 · 2007: 567.00 · 2008: 562.00 · 2009: 588.00 · 2010: 592.00 · 2011: 569.00 · 2012: 566.00 · 2013: 544.00 · 2014: 522.00 · 2015: 505.00 · 2016: 488.00 · 2017: 465.00 · 2018: 449.00 · 2019: 429.00 · 2020: 447.00 · 2021: 459.00 · 2022: 409.00 · 2023: 359.00

20002023

359.00 deaths per 100,000 births · 2023

Ghana

Ghana · deaths per 100,000 births2000: 472.00 · 2001: 460.00 · 2002: 434.00 · 2003: 410.00 · 2004: 403.00 · 2005: 390.00 · 2006: 385.00 · 2007: 377.00 · 2008: 380.00 · 2009: 369.00 · 2010: 363.00 · 2011: 356.00 · 2012: 351.00 · 2013: 338.00 · 2014: 317.00 · 2015: 310.00 · 2016: 296.00 · 2017: 287.00 · 2018: 276.00 · 2019: 260.00 · 2020: 253.00 · 2021: 264.00 · 2022: 239.00 · 2023: 234.00

20002023

234.00 deaths per 100,000 births · 2023

Nigeria

Nigeria · deaths per 100,000 births2000: 1,136.00 · 2001: 1,130.00 · 2002: 1,117.00 · 2003: 1,090.00 · 2004: 1,075.00 · 2005: 1,060.00 · 2006: 1,067.00 · 2007: 1,063.00 · 2008: 1,081.00 · 2009: 1,088.00 · 2010: 1,094.00 · 2011: 1,108.00 · 2012: 1,124.00 · 2013: 1,146.00 · 2014: 1,155.00 · 2015: 1,168.00 · 2016: 1,155.00 · 2017: 1,142.00 · 2018: 1,118.00 · 2019: 1,091.00 · 2020: 1,065.00 · 2021: 1,046.00 · 2022: 1,016.00 · 2023: 993.00

20002023

993.00 deaths per 100,000 births · 2023

Senegal

Senegal · deaths per 100,000 births2000: 581.00 · 2001: 560.00 · 2002: 531.00 · 2003: 520.00 · 2004: 501.00 · 2005: 488.00 · 2006: 462.00 · 2007: 457.00 · 2008: 463.00 · 2009: 441.00 · 2010: 436.00 · 2011: 415.00 · 2012: 405.00 · 2013: 385.00 · 2014: 373.00 · 2015: 357.00 · 2016: 345.00 · 2017: 325.00 · 2018: 305.00 · 2019: 286.00 · 2020: 252.00 · 2021: 263.00 · 2022: 228.00 · 2023: 237.00

20002023

237.00 deaths per 100,000 births · 2023

UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group via World Bank WDI

Ghana and Senegal ended near the same estimate

In 2023 Ghana’s estimate was 234 deaths per 100,000 live births and Senegal’s was 237. Their 2000 estimates were 472 and 581. A comparison of point estimates should account for uncertainty around both. Source 1

Côte d’Ivoire’s series changed direction

Its estimate went from 378 in 2000 to 592 in 2010, then to 359 in 2023. Benin moved from 529 in 2000 to 607 in 2010 and 518 in 2023. Endpoints alone can obscure those higher intermediate estimates. Source 1

The denominator is live births

The ratio is the estimated number of maternal deaths relative to the number of live births in the same period. The definition includes pregnancy-related causes during pregnancy or within 42 days of its end. A count of deaths requires the number of births as well. Source 2

The estimates are designed for uneven data coverage

The inter-agency group uses modelling when available registration and survey data are incomplete. National or regional decisions should also consider uncertainty intervals and the relevant country records. Source 2

Sources

Open the data and source notes