# Pregnancy-related death (maternal death)

Outcome · id `maternal:outcome-pregnancy-related-death` · Maternal & Newborn Atlas · release `c7fb95f1d15a7d13` (public)

> General information from published sources, not medical advice, and not reviewed by clinicians. Check the cited source before relying on anything here.

The atlas's own text and curation may be reused under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/): credit the atlas, and do not use it commercially. See the atlas About page. Text quoted from a source stays under that source's own terms, given as the source's reuse\_basis. The atlas's reuse terms do not cover it. The downloads list each quotation with its source in third\_party\_quotations.

Browse, life stage: Pregnancy; Childbirth; Postpartum  
Browse, care area: Recovery after birth  

## In plain language

The death of a woman during pregnancy or in the period after it ends, from a cause linked to the pregnancy. WHO and CDC count different time windows: WHO counts deaths up to 42 days after the pregnancy ends, and CDC counts pregnancy-related deaths up to 1 year after delivery. WHO's fact sheet, which does not state the time window it counts, says about 260 000 women died around pregnancy and childbirth in 2023.

## Technical summary

Two definitions are kept apart. WHO maternal death: while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes (as quoted in a 2025 WHO analysis of the causes of maternal death); deaths from 43 days to under 1 year are late maternal deaths. CDC pregnancy-related death: during pregnancy or within 1 year after delivery and caused by a pregnancy complication, a chain of events started by the pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by pregnancy (2019 MMWR). The atlas holds the burden claims in separate contexts: WHO modelled global causes for 2009 to 2020, US surveillance for 2011 to 2015, 13-state committee review for 2013 to 2017, and the WHO fact sheet for 2023 (no time window stated). Bleeding deaths are one cause and have their own outcome record.

## Claims, with the population each applies to

## Context: Pregnancy-related deaths reviewed by Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 13 US states, 2013 to 2017

Recipient: Maternal; Population: Pregnancy-related deaths that occurred during 2013 to 2017 and that the Maternal Mortality Review Committees of 13 states reviewed. Of 251 deaths evaluated for preventability, a determination was made for 232. This is a separate set of deaths from the national surveillance data for 2011 to 2015.; Care setting: Not applicable: committee review of deaths from multiple data sources; Geography: Thirteen US states (the abstract does not name them); Life stage: During pregnancy and up to 1 year after delivery (pregnancy-related deaths); Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Deaths in 2013 to 2017

### Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 13 US states evaluated 251 pregnancy-related deaths that occurred in 2013 to 2017 and made a preventability determination for 232 of them (92.4%). Approximately sixty percent of the pregnancy-related deaths from the state committees were determined to be preventable, and this did not differ significantly by race or ethnicity or by the timing of death. The committees identified an average of three to four contributing factors and two to three prevention strategies for each death.

- Category: Burden
- Evidence stage: Observational
- Certainty: Certainty not assessed
- Applies to: Recipient: Maternal; Population: Pregnancy-related deaths that occurred during 2013 to 2017 and that the Maternal Mortality Review Committees of 13 states reviewed. Of 251 deaths evaluated for preventability, a determination was made for 232. This is a separate set of deaths from the national surveillance data for 2011 to 2015.; Care setting: Not applicable: committee review of deaths from multiple data sources; Geography: Thirteen US states (the abstract does not name them); Life stage: During pregnancy and up to 1 year after delivery (pregnancy-related deaths); Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Deaths in 2013 to 2017
- Limitations: The committee data are a separate set of deaths from the national 2011 to 2015 surveillance counts, and they come from 13 states that the abstract does not name, so they may not represent the whole country. Preventability is a committee judgement. The open access report was read.
- Last checked: 2026-10-15
- Sources:
  1. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Results, para 6, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  2. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Abstract, Results, sentence 6, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  3. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Abstract, Results, sentence 6, fragment 2 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  4. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Results, para 7, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  5. Background: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Abstract, Methods, sentence 4, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: The committees and years.

## Context: Pregnancy-related deaths in the United States in 2011 to 2015, CDC Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System

Recipient: Maternal; Population: Deaths reported to CDC's national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System that occurred during pregnancy or within 1 year after delivery and that medically trained epidemiologists judged to be pregnancy-related, meaning caused by a pregnancy complication, a chain of events initiated by pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy. This is a wider time window than the WHO definition of a maternal death, which stops at 42 days.; Care setting: Not applicable: deaths in any setting reported by state and city health departments; Geography: United States. CDC asks all states, the District of Columbia and New York City to send death certificates and linked records.; Life stage: During pregnancy and up to 1 year after delivery; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Deaths in 2011 to 2015

### CDC counts a death as pregnancy-related if it occurred during pregnancy or within 1 year after delivery and was caused by a pregnancy complication, by a chain of events started by the pregnancy, or by the pregnancy's physiologic effects making an unrelated condition worse. Medically trained epidemiologists review each reported death to decide this.

- Category: Description
- Evidence stage: Evidence stage not applicable
- Certainty: Certainty not assessed
- Applies to: Recipient: Maternal; Population: Deaths reported to CDC's national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System that occurred during pregnancy or within 1 year after delivery and that medically trained epidemiologists judged to be pregnancy-related, meaning caused by a pregnancy complication, a chain of events initiated by pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy. This is a wider time window than the WHO definition of a maternal death, which stops at 42 days.; Care setting: Not applicable: deaths in any setting reported by state and city health departments; Geography: United States. CDC asks all states, the District of Columbia and New York City to send death certificates and linked records.; Life stage: During pregnancy and up to 1 year after delivery; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Deaths in 2011 to 2015
- Limitations: This is the definition used in the 2019 MMWR report on the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System. It is wider than the WHO definition of a maternal death, which ends at 42 days, so numbers under the two definitions are not interchangeable. Only the report was read, not CDC's own definition pages, which are not scriptable.
- Last checked: 2026-10-15
- Sources:
  1. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Methods, paragraph 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  2. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Methods, paragraph 1 (review of deaths). Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).

### CDC analysed national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System data for 2011 to 2015: 3,410 pregnancy-related deaths in the United States, a pregnancy-related mortality ratio of 17.2 per 100,000 live births. Non-Hispanic Black women and American Indian/Alaska Native women had the highest ratios (42.8 and 32.5), 3.3 and 2.5 times the ratio for non-Hispanic White women (13.0). Timing was known for 87.7% (2,990) of the deaths: 31.3% occurred during pregnancy, 16.9% on the day of delivery, 18.6% 1 to 6 days postpartum, 21.4% 7 to 42 days postpartum and 11.7% 43 to 365 days postpartum. Leading causes included cardiovascular conditions, infection and haemorrhage, and varied by timing.

- Category: Burden
- Evidence stage: Observational
- Certainty: Certainty not assessed
- Applies to: Recipient: Maternal; Population: Deaths reported to CDC's national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System that occurred during pregnancy or within 1 year after delivery and that medically trained epidemiologists judged to be pregnancy-related, meaning caused by a pregnancy complication, a chain of events initiated by pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy. This is a wider time window than the WHO definition of a maternal death, which stops at 42 days.; Care setting: Not applicable: deaths in any setting reported by state and city health departments; Geography: United States. CDC asks all states, the District of Columbia and New York City to send death certificates and linked records.; Life stage: During pregnancy and up to 1 year after delivery; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Deaths in 2011 to 2015
- Limitations: These are surveillance counts for 2011 to 2015 under the CDC definition (up to 1 year after delivery), not the WHO 42-day definition, and they describe the United States only. The ratios are not adjusted comparisons, and the report says nothing in these figures about why they differ. Rates may have changed since. The open access report was read; CDC's own pages were not.
- Last checked: 2026-10-15
- Sources:
  1. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Results, para 1, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  2. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Abstract, Results, sentence 2, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  3. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Abstract, Results, sentence 2, fragment 2 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  4. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Abstract, Results, sentence 3. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  5. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Abstract, Results, sentence 4, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  6. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Abstract, Results, sentence 4, fragment 2 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  7. Supports: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Abstract, Results, sentence 5. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  8. Background: Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6542194/>
     Locator: Abstract, Methods, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:14Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 573b1063095f45822f0b0c1935cfe574fe445200cf396718218bc72144cb83b7.
     How it applies: The data source: CDC's national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System, 2011 to 2015.

## Context: Maternal deaths worldwide in 2023, WHO fact sheet

Recipient: Maternal; Population: Deaths of women during and following pregnancy and childbirth worldwide in 2023, as the WHO fact sheet reports them. The fact sheet does not say which time window it counts.; Care setting: Not applicable; Geography: Global, 2023; Life stage: Pregnancy, childbirth and after birth; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: The calendar year 2023, with a comparison to the year 2000

### The WHO maternal mortality fact sheet, dated 7 April 2025, gives about 260 000 deaths of women during and after pregnancy and childbirth in 2023, around 92% of them in low- and lower-middle-income countries, and says over 700 women died every day that year of preventable causes. It reports that the maternal mortality ratio fell by about 40% worldwide between 2000 and 2023, and it names severe bleeding, mostly after childbirth, among the major complications behind around 75% of all maternal deaths.

- Category: Burden
- Evidence stage: Observational
- Certainty: Certainty not assessed
- Applies to: Recipient: Maternal; Population: Deaths of women during and following pregnancy and childbirth worldwide in 2023, as the WHO fact sheet reports them. The fact sheet does not say which time window it counts.; Care setting: Not applicable; Geography: Global, 2023; Life stage: Pregnancy, childbirth and after birth; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: The calendar year 2023, with a comparison to the year 2000
- Limitations: The fact sheet gives modelled estimates and does not state the time window it counts, so the 260 000 figure is not placed under the 42-day definition or the 1-year definition. The share of around 75% refers to the group of five complications the page lists together, not to bleeding alone. The page was read as shown on 2026-10-15; its figures may be updated.
- Last checked: 2026-10-15
- Sources:
  1. Supports: Maternal mortality (WHO fact sheet) (Webpage, edition Fact sheet dated 7 April 2025, as shown on 2026-10-15.) <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality>
     Locator: Overview, paragraph 1, sentence 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:50:50Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 8a3df0038fd325034fd3b9efe8999c17e6facda358fb786e8beb8979d1940f3b.
     How it applies: WHO fact sheet.
  2. Supports: Maternal mortality (WHO fact sheet) (Webpage, edition Fact sheet dated 7 April 2025, as shown on 2026-10-15.) <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality>
     Locator: Overview, paragraph 1, sentence 3. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:50:50Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 8a3df0038fd325034fd3b9efe8999c17e6facda358fb786e8beb8979d1940f3b.
     How it applies: WHO fact sheet.
  3. Supports: Maternal mortality (WHO fact sheet) (Webpage, edition Fact sheet dated 7 April 2025, as shown on 2026-10-15.) <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality>
     Locator: Key facts, bullet 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:50:50Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 8a3df0038fd325034fd3b9efe8999c17e6facda358fb786e8beb8979d1940f3b.
     How it applies: WHO fact sheet.
  4. Supports: Maternal mortality (WHO fact sheet) (Webpage, edition Fact sheet dated 7 April 2025, as shown on 2026-10-15.) <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality>
     Locator: Key facts, bullet 3. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:50:50Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 8a3df0038fd325034fd3b9efe8999c17e6facda358fb786e8beb8979d1940f3b.
     How it applies: WHO fact sheet.
  5. Supports: Maternal mortality (WHO fact sheet) (Webpage, edition Fact sheet dated 7 April 2025, as shown on 2026-10-15.) <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality>
     Locator: Why do women die, paragraph 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:50:50Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 8a3df0038fd325034fd3b9efe8999c17e6facda358fb786e8beb8979d1940f3b.
     How it applies: WHO fact sheet.
  6. Supports: Maternal mortality (WHO fact sheet) (Webpage, edition Fact sheet dated 7 April 2025, as shown on 2026-10-15.) <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality>
     Locator: Why do women die, list item 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:50:50Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 8a3df0038fd325034fd3b9efe8999c17e6facda358fb786e8beb8979d1940f3b.
     How it applies: WHO fact sheet.
  7. Background: Maternal mortality (WHO fact sheet) (Webpage, edition Fact sheet dated 7 April 2025, as shown on 2026-10-15.) <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality>
     Locator: Page header, date. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:50:50Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 8a3df0038fd325034fd3b9efe8999c17e6facda358fb786e8beb8979d1940f3b.
     How it applies: Fact sheet date.

## Context: Maternal deaths worldwide in 2009 to 2020, WHO systematic analysis of causes

Recipient: Maternal; Population: Deaths of women counted as maternal deaths under the WHO definition (while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from a cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management, not accidental or incidental). The analysis pooled civil registration data from 110 countries, government reports from 28 countries and bibliographic-database data from 20 countries, and modelled the distribution of causes by SDG region and worldwide.; Care setting: Not applicable: deaths in any setting, from country registration systems, reports and published studies; Geography: Global, 2009 to 2020; Life stage: Pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period up to 42 days after the end of pregnancy; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Deaths occurring in 2009 to 2020. Late maternal deaths (more than 42 days but less than 1 year after the end of pregnancy) are reported separately in the paper and are not part of this context.

### WHO defines a maternal death as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of the end of the pregnancy, whatever the length or site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or made worse by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes. The WHO analysis of causes of maternal death uses this definition, and treats deaths from 43 days to under 1 year after the end of pregnancy as late maternal deaths.

- Category: Description
- Evidence stage: Evidence stage not applicable
- Certainty: Certainty not assessed
- Applies to: Recipient: Maternal; Population: Deaths of women counted as maternal deaths under the WHO definition (while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from a cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management, not accidental or incidental). The analysis pooled civil registration data from 110 countries, government reports from 28 countries and bibliographic-database data from 20 countries, and modelled the distribution of causes by SDG region and worldwide.; Care setting: Not applicable: deaths in any setting, from country registration systems, reports and published studies; Geography: Global, 2009 to 2020; Life stage: Pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period up to 42 days after the end of pregnancy; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Deaths occurring in 2009 to 2020. Late maternal deaths (more than 42 days but less than 1 year after the end of pregnancy) are reported separately in the paper and are not part of this context.
- Limitations: The Lancet Global Health paper quotes this definition from WHO and uses it; the WHO definition document itself was not read. The paper says ICD-11 introduced comprehensive maternal deaths, which include all deaths up to 1 year postpartum.
- Last checked: 2026-10-15
- Sources:
  1. Supports: Global and regional causes of maternal deaths 2009–20: a WHO systematic analysis (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11946934/>
     Locator: Introduction, paragraph 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:15Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 2f712a432be6d6473e6359a3e20b72b8ecae650a2ee625df222659f78ee5985d.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  2. Supports: Global and regional causes of maternal deaths 2009–20: a WHO systematic analysis (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11946934/>
     Locator: Abstract, Findings, sentence 6, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:15Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 2f712a432be6d6473e6359a3e20b72b8ecae650a2ee625df222659f78ee5985d.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).
  3. Supports: Global and regional causes of maternal deaths 2009–20: a WHO systematic analysis (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-15.) <https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11946934/>
     Locator: Discussion, paragraph on late maternal deaths. Retrieved 2026-10-15T13:49:15Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: 2f712a432be6d6473e6359a3e20b72b8ecae650a2ee625df222659f78ee5985d.
     How it applies: Open access full text (CC BY).

## Connected pages

- Deaths from bleeding are one cause of maternal death: Maternal death due to bleeding (`maternal:outcome-maternal-death-due-to-bleeding`)
- Risk raised by: Postpartum haemorrhage (`maternal:postpartum-hemorrhage`) [a claim, not a settled fact; see claim `maternal:claim-haemorrhage-leading-cause-of-maternal-death-2009-20` and its context]
- Related to: Strategies toward ending preventable maternal mortality (EPMM) (`maternal:roadmap-epmm`)

## Provenance

Content hash: 0332d45c8cfeac43aac76129d253b6c92b5d005685560d6900a9094e1b6fc8a8
Last substantive edit: 2026-10-15
Evidence last checked: 2026-10-15
