Costa Rica: Maternal mortality ratio (national estimate, per 100,000 live births)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Costa Rica's maternal mortality ratio (national estimate, per 100,000 live births) fell 7.01 on 2022 (from 14.97 to 7.96).

Across the 27 yearly changes before that (1996 to 2022), the average change was −0.18 and a typical year strayed about 10.53 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 14.2 in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 25.55 in 2022. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 11% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2023, Costa Rica had the 15th highest value of the 19 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Costa Rica in the 2023 ranking

• El Salvador — 12th of 19: 26.8
• Uruguay — 13th of 19: 19.1
• Canada — 14th of 19: 9.38
• Trinidad and Tobago — 16th of 19: 7.8
• Cayman Islands — 17th of 19: 0
• Dominica — 18th of 19: 0

What this measures

Maternal mortality ratio is the number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination per 100,000 live births.

Limitations: Maternal mortality ratios are generally of unknown reliability, as are many other cause-specific mortality indicators. The ratios cannot be assumed to provide an exact estimate of maternal mortality. Maternal mortality ratios collected directly from Demographic and Health Surveys are presented in the survey year, but reference time of these maternal mortality ratios is for the seven years preceding the survey.

All 29 values

Maternal mortality ratio (national estimate, per 100,000 live births) in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 0 (2022)
• Argentina — 34.3 (2022)
• Aruba — 0 (2019)
• Bahamas, The — 212.1 (2022)
• Barbados — 178.3 (2023)
• Belize — 78.83 (2023)
• Brazil — 57.7 (2022)
• British Virgin Islands — 415 (2023)
• Cayman Islands

More health data for Costa Rica

• Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 4.9% (2025)
• Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 5.24% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female — 461,672 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 17.71% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male — 481,760 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 18.92% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, total — 943,432 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 18.31% (2025)
• Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population) — 6.18% (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Costa Rica's maternal mortality ratio (national estimate, per 100,000 live births)?

7.96 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1995?

It is down 60% from 19.9 in 1995 (3.22% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 40.52 in 2021 and the lowest 7.96 in 2023.

How does Costa Rica rank?

15th highest of 19 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in maternal mortality ratio (national estimate, per 100,000 live births) unusual for Costa Rica?

In 2023, Costa Rica's maternal mortality ratio (national estimate, per 100,000 live births) fell 7.01 on 2022 (from 14.97 to 7.96). Across the 27 yearly changes before that (1996 to 2022), the average change was −0.18 and a typical year strayed about 10.53 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SH.STA.MMRT.NE, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), World Health Organization (WHO), note: The country data compiled, adjusted and used in the estimation model by the Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG). Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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