North Korea Maternal Deaths 17x Higher Than South Korea

Seoul, April 11: North Korea's maternal mortality rate was estimated at 67 per 100,000 live births in 2023, a number dramatically lower than in 2000 but nearly 17 times higher than South Korea's figure, a report showed Friday.

Key Points

North Korea's maternal mortality rate declined from 129 in 2000 to 67 in 2023

Global average maternal mortality remains at 197 per 100,000 live births

Over 90% of maternal deaths occur in low-income countries

UN aims to reduce maternal mortality to under 70 per 100,000

The figures were released in a recent report on maternal mortality estimates, jointly published by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank Group and other international organizations, Yonhap news agency reported.

The report defines maternal mortality as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of the end of a pregnancy.

North Korea's maternal mortality rate has been on a gradual decline since reaching 129 in 2000, around the time the country fell into a severe famine following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The figure came down to 78 in 2005, 72 in 2015, 66 in 2020 and 67 in 2023, but the latest rate is still about 17 times higher than South Korea's corresponding rate of 4, the report showed.

The global average maternal mortality rate in 2023 was estimated at 197, and the United Nations aims to reduce it to fewer than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2023.

The global report released on World Health Day on April 7 showed that more than 700 women died daily from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth in 2023 worldwide.

The report titled Trends in maternal mortality shows a 40 per cent global decline in maternal mortality ratio (MMR, number of maternal deaths per 100 000 live births) between 2000 and 2023.

It showed that since 2016, the pace of improvement slowed down significantly, and that an estimated 260,000 women died in 2023 due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth.

More than 90 per cent of all maternal deaths occurred in low and lower-middle-income countries in 2023, said the report.

Reader Comments

Sarah K.

This is heartbreaking 💔 While the improvement since 2000 is good, 67 deaths per 100k is still way too high. The gap between North and South Korea shows how much proper healthcare infrastructure matters.

Michael T.

Interesting that the global average is 197 - puts things in perspective. Makes me appreciate the healthcare we have here. Hope more countries can continue improving these numbers.

James L.

The article mentions the improvement slowed since 2016. I wonder if this is due to reduced funding or other global factors like climate change affecting food security?

Elena P.

While the data is important, I wish the article provided more context about what specific interventions helped reduce NK's rate from 129 to 67. Was it international aid? Local policy changes?

Tom R.

700 preventable deaths daily worldwide is a shocking statistic. Makes you realize how much work still needs to be done in maternal healthcare globally.

Aisha M.

The 17x difference between North and South Korea is staggering. Goes to show how political systems and economic conditions directly impact people's health outcomes.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:

North Korea Maternal Mortality World Health Organization UN Report Healthcare Disparities South Korea Comparison