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Across the African region, an estimated 178,000 women die each year due to complications in pregnancy or childbirth. Nearly one million newborns also die annually, many from causes that are preventable with timely, quality healthcare.
Africa must increase its annual rate of progress twelve-fold to meet the global target for reducing maternal deaths by 2030, according to new estimates from the United Nations. While the region has halved maternal deaths since 2000, it still accounts for seven out of every ten maternal deaths worldwide.
The findings, released by the UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Interagency Group, show that maternal mortality in Africa fell from 727 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 442 in 2023. Despite the decline, the continent remains far off track to reach the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by the decade’s end
Across the African region, an estimated 178,000 women die each year due to complications in pregnancy or childbirth. Nearly one million newborns also die annually, many from causes that are preventable with timely, quality healthcare.
The most common causes of maternal deaths include haemorrhage, high blood pressure, infections, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labour. For newborns, preterm birth complications, sepsis, birth trauma, and congenital anomalies top the list.
From 2000 to 2023, the region recorded a modest 2.2% annual reduction rate in maternal deaths. At this rate, Africa is projected to reach nearly 350 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, five times the global target.
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As the countdown to 2030 continues, the UN and WHO are calling for bold leadership, stronger partnerships, and sustained financing to close the gaps. The goal is clear: to ensure that no woman dies while giving life and every child gets the chance to survive and thrive.
