Summary Maternal disorders was responsible for 196 000 deaths (95% UI 171 000–226 000) among females aged 10–54 in 2019, a 35·1% (25·4–45·4) decrease since 1990. There were 112 million (99·3–126) incident cases of maternal disorders in 2019, an 8·7% (5·9–11·3) decrease since 1990.

Definition Fatal or non-fatal complications occurring during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Maternal deaths are due to obstetric complications or existing disorders exacerbated by pregnancy, up to one year post-pregnancy, excluding accidental and incidental deaths.

Total sources
Incidence 863
Prevalence 34
Remission 0
Causes of death 0
Other 3794
Table 1: Total sources used in GBD 2019 estimation
What is new in GBD 2019?
  • •Non-fatal data were age-split to fit GBD five-year age groups. Adjustments for alternative study methods and case definitions were applied to data prior to analysis in DisMod-MR 2.1.
  • •A systematic review was conducted on May 10, 2019, and found 81 new data sources for both maternal deaths and non-fatal outcomes.
  • •Cause of death garbage code redistribution was revised for the youngest and oldest maternal age groups.
  • •Covariates based on the sub-cause-specific maternal mortality ratios (MMR) were used in the DisMod-MR 2.1 models estimating incidence ratios.
  • •An ensemble model was used to select covariates for the sub-cause-specific MMR models.
Prevalence
Incidence
Deaths
YLLs
YLDs
DALYs
Cases
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
Cases
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
Deaths
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
YLLs
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
YLDs
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
DALYs
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
2019
Both Sexes
19·6
(16·3
to 23·3)
248·8
(207·1
to 295·7)
112
(99·3
to 126)
1427·9
(1266·1
to 1607·8)
0·196
(0·171
to 0·226)
2·5
(2·2
to 2·8)
11·4
(9·92
to 13·1)
144·5
(125·7
to 166·0)
1·28
(0·860
to 1·76)
16·2
(10·8
to 22·3)
12·7
(11·1
to 14·4)
160·6
(140·4
to 182·5)
Females
19·6
(16·3
to 23·3)
502·9
(418·7
to 598·0)
112
(99·3
to 126)
2889·4
(2562·9
to 3251·9)
0·196
(0·171
to 0·226)
5·0
(4·4
to 5·8)
11·4
(9·92
to 13·1)
292·2
(254·3
to 335·7)
1·28
(0·860
to 1·76)
32·7
(21·9
to 45·0)
12·7
(11·1
to 14·4)
324·9
(284·0
to 369·1)
Males
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
Percentage change 2010-19
Both Sexes
–1·6%
(–3·3
to 0·3)
–7·9%
(–9·2
to –6·5)
–4·3%
(–5·8
to –2·8)
–9·2%
(–10·1
to –8·3)
–18·1%
(–27·4
to –7·8)
–23·6%
(–32·3
to –13·9)
–18·8%
(–27·9
to –8·6)
–23·9%
(–32·5
to –14·3)
–2·5%
(–4·3
to –0·7)
–9·3%
(–11·0
to –7·8)
–17·4%
(–25·8
to –8·1)
–22·6%
(–30·5
to –13·8)
Females
–1·6%
(–3·3
to 0·3)
–7·6%
(–8·9
to –6·2)
–4·3%
(–5·8
to –2·8)
–8·9%
(–9·8
to –8·0)
–18·1%
(–27·4
to –7·8)
–23·4%
(–32·2
to –13·7)
–18·8%
(–27·9
to –8·6)
–23·7%
(–32·3
to –14·0)
–2·5%
(–4·3
to –0·7)
–9·1%
(–10·8
to –7·5)
–17·4%
(–25·8
to –8·1)
–22·4%
(–30·3
to –13·6)
Males
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
-–
Numbers in parentheses are 95% uncertainty intervals.
Table 2: Global prevalence, incidence, deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs in counts and age-standardised rates for both sexes combined, females, and males, 2019, with percentage change between 2010 and 2019
Deaths YLLs YLDs DALYs
1990 33rd 23rd 68th 33rd
2010 39th 28th 73rd 43rd
2019 48th 30th 77th 48th
Table 3: Rank among Level 3 causes for global deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs in 1990, 2010, and 2019, for both sexes combined
Figure 1: Composition of DALYs by constituent Level 4 causes for both sexes combined, 2019
Figure 2: Percentage of DALYs attributable to top risk factors for both sexes combined, 2019
No Legend
Figure 3: Age-standardised DALY rates for each location by SDI, both sexes combined, 2019
Figure 4: Composition of DALYs by YLLs and YLDs, age group, and sex, 2019
No Legend
Figure 5: Age-standardised DALY rates (per 100 000) by location, both sexes combined, 2019