Number of maternal deaths in Kenya

Kenya: Number of maternal deaths was 2,200 in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
2,200
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
23rd
of 194 countries
All-time high
12,000
in 1985
All-time low
2,200
in 2023
Years of data
39
1985–2023

Number of maternal deaths in Kenya, 1985–2023

2.0k4.0k6.0k8.0k10.0k12.0k1985200420231985: 12.0k1986: 9.8k1987: 9.2k1988: 7.4k1989: 6.6k1990: 5.9k1991: 5.0k1992: 4.3k1993: 3.8k1994: 3.6k1995: 3.3k1996: 3.1k1997: 2.9k1998: 2.9k1999: 2.6k2000: 2.5k2001: 2.4k2002: 2.4k2003: 2.4k2004: 2.4k2005: 2.5k2006: 2.7k2007: 2.9k2008: 2.9k2009: 3.1k2010: 3.2k2011: 3.1k2012: 3.2k2013: 3.0k2014: 2.9k2015: 3.0k2016: 2.8k2017: 2.7k2018: 2.7k2019: 2.5k2020: 2.7k2021: 2.7k2022: 2.3k2023: 2.2k

Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).

Analysis

In 2023, number of maternal deaths in Kenya stood at 2,200. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 26.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in Kenya peaked at 12,000 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 2,200, in 2023.

That places Kenya 23rd out of 194 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 9,000 6,600 12,000 5
1990s 3,740 2,600 5,900 10
2000s 2,620 2,400 3,100 10
2010s 2,910 2,500 3,200 10
2020s 2,475 2,200 2,700 4

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 21 Guinea 2,400 compare
  2. 22 South Sudan 2,300 compare
  3. 24 Ghana 2,100 compare
  4. 25 Burkina Faso 1,800 compare
  5. 25 Burundi 1,800 compare
  6. 25 Zimbabwe 1,800 compare

See the full ranking of 241 places →

More health data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of maternal deaths in Kenya?
Number of maternal deaths in Kenya was 2,200 in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 12,000 in 1985.
What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 2,200 in 2023.
How does Kenya rank for number of maternal deaths?
Kenya ranks 23rd out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is down 26.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Number of maternal deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Number of maternal deaths
Source
Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
241 places, 9,399 data points, 1985–2023
Last refreshed

A maternal death refers to the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.