Global Stillbirth Rate Trends 2009

Explore global trends in stillbirth rates, highlighting improvements or setbacks over time across different countries.

199 data points•Updated 9/28/2026•Global Coverage•Stillbirth rate | Our World in Data•

View data for:

Interactive Map

Loading interactive map...

Complete Data Rankings

Rank
1	Somalia	3.931 per 1,000 births
2	Ethiopia	3.842 per 1,000 births
3	Pakistan	3.725 per 1,000 births
4	Guinea-Bissau	3.711 per 1,000 births
5	Chad	3.405 per 1,000 births
6	Djibouti	3.394 per 1,000 births
7	South Sudan	3.219 per 1,000 births
8	Central African Republic	3.105 per 1,000 births
9	Afghanistan	3.088 per 1,000 births
10	Bangladesh	3.068 per 1,000 births
11	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	3.041 per 1,000 births
12	Lesotho	2.952 per 1,000 births
13	Mali	2.797 per 1,000 births
14	Liberia	2.721 per 1,000 births
15	Nigeria	2.65 per 1,000 births
16	Burundi	2.602 per 1,000 births
17	Côte d'Ivoire	2.573 per 1,000 births
18	Benin	2.524 per 1,000 births
19	Sudan	2.505 per 1,000 births
20	Ghana	2.49 per 1,000 births
21	Sierra Leone	2.483 per 1,000 births
22	Comoros	2.48 per 1,000 births
23	Burkina Faso	2.451 per 1,000 births
24	Nepal	2.442 per 1,000 births
25	Zimbabwe	2.425 per 1,000 births
26	Togo	2.416 per 1,000 births
27	Guinea	2.397 per 1,000 births
28	Yemen	2.28 per 1,000 births
29	Niger	2.239 per 1,000 births
30	Gambia	2.235 per 1,000 births
31	Senegal	2.227 per 1,000 births
32	Laos	2.223 per 1,000 births
33	Tanzania	2.222 per 1,000 births
34	India	2.183 per 1,000 births
35	Papua New Guinea	2.166 per 1,000 births
36	Angola	2.159 per 1,000 births
37	Haiti	2.151 per 1,000 births
38	Uganda	2.072 per 1,000 births
39	Cameroon	2.072 per 1,000 births
40	Mozambique	2 per 1,000 births
41	Mauritania	1.958 per 1,000 births
42	Malawi	1.957 per 1,000 births
43	Equatorial Guinea	1.956 per 1,000 births
44	Cambodia	1.924 per 1,000 births
45	Rwanda	1.915 per 1,000 births
46	Eritrea	1.869 per 1,000 births
47	Kenya	1.86 per 1,000 births
48	Madagascar	1.814 per 1,000 births
49	South Africa	1.796 per 1,000 births
50	Zambia	1.794 per 1,000 births
51	Morocco	1.632 per 1,000 births
52	Guatemala	1.631 per 1,000 births
53	Namibia	1.631 per 1,000 births
54	Congo	1.629 per 1,000 births
55	Jamaica	1.614 per 1,000 births
56	Timor-Leste	1.581 per 1,000 births
57	Gabon	1.58 per 1,000 births
58	Botswana	1.557 per 1,000 births
59	Guyana	1.525 per 1,000 births
60	Eswatini	1.495 per 1,000 births
61	Myanmar	1.47 per 1,000 births
62	Azerbaijan	1.445 per 1,000 births
63	Micronesia (Fed. States of)	1.438 per 1,000 births
64	Armenia	1.4 per 1,000 births
65	Iraq	1.377 per 1,000 births
66	Solomon Islands	1.358 per 1,000 births
67	Montserrat	1.344 per 1,000 births
68	Paraguay	1.337 per 1,000 births
69	Bahamas	1.333 per 1,000 births
70	Marshall Islands	1.327 per 1,000 births
71	Philippines	1.318 per 1,000 births
72	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	1.316 per 1,000 births
73	Sao Tome and Principe	1.309 per 1,000 births
74	Algeria	1.296 per 1,000 births
75	Nicaragua	1.293 per 1,000 births
76	Bolivia	1.28 per 1,000 births
77	El Salvador	1.254 per 1,000 births
78	Vanuatu	1.253 per 1,000 births
79	Saint Lucia	1.238 per 1,000 births
80	Tuvalu	1.231 per 1,000 births
81	Indonesia	1.23 per 1,000 births
82	Egypt	1.218 per 1,000 births
83	Niue	1.217 per 1,000 births
84	Dominican Republic	1.214 per 1,000 births
85	Syrian Arab Republic	1.211 per 1,000 births
86	Bhutan	1.206 per 1,000 births
87	State of Palestine	1.188 per 1,000 births
88	Ecuador	1.187 per 1,000 births
89	Suriname	1.179 per 1,000 births
90	Dominica	1.169 per 1,000 births
91	Tajikistan	1.167 per 1,000 births
92	Kiribati	1.165 per 1,000 births
93	Tunisia	1.15 per 1,000 births
94	Honduras	1.117 per 1,000 births
95	Cabo Verde	1.097 per 1,000 births
96	China	1.073 per 1,000 births
97	Uzbekistan	1.07 per 1,000 births
98	Trinidad and Tobago	1.069 per 1,000 births
99	North Korea	1.043 per 1,000 births
100	Fiji	1.005 per 1,000 births
101	Republic of Moldova	0.993 per 1,000 births
102	Samoa	0.98 per 1,000 births
103	Venezuela	0.979 per 1,000 births
104	Georgia	0.946 per 1,000 births
105	Grenada	0.931 per 1,000 births
106	Jordan	0.929 per 1,000 births
107	Kyrgyzstan	0.919 per 1,000 births
108	Peru	0.915 per 1,000 births
109	Mauritius	0.909 per 1,000 births
110	Vietnam	0.9 per 1,000 births
111	Palau	0.895 per 1,000 births
112	Nauru	0.892 per 1,000 births
113	Seychelles	0.887 per 1,000 births
114	Libya	0.881 per 1,000 births
115	Turkmenistan	0.874 per 1,000 births
116	Antigua and Barbuda	0.873 per 1,000 births
117	Saint Kitts and Nevis	0.872 per 1,000 births
118	Kazakhstan	0.864 per 1,000 births
119	Lebanon	0.862 per 1,000 births
120	Colombia	0.857 per 1,000 births
121	Belize	0.852 per 1,000 births
122	Brazil	0.843 per 1,000 births
123	Tonga	0.829 per 1,000 births
124	Turks and Caicos Islands	0.829 per 1,000 births
125	Cook Islands	0.798 per 1,000 births
126	Iran	0.798 per 1,000 births
127	Maldives	0.794 per 1,000 births
128	Sri Lanka	0.776 per 1,000 births
129	British Virgin Islands	0.764 per 1,000 births
130	Mongolia	0.754 per 1,000 births
131	Mexico	0.739 per 1,000 births
132	Cuba	0.737 per 1,000 births
133	Bulgaria	0.692 per 1,000 births
134	Qatar	0.658 per 1,000 births
135	North Macedonia	0.653 per 1,000 births
136	United Arab Emirates	0.65 per 1,000 births
137	Oman	0.641 per 1,000 births
138	Turkey	0.635 per 1,000 births
139	Panama	0.634 per 1,000 births
140	Saudi Arabia	0.598 per 1,000 births
141	Bahrain	0.592 per 1,000 births
142	Anguilla	0.58 per 1,000 births
143	Barbados	0.571 per 1,000 births
144	Kuwait	0.561 per 1,000 births
145	Argentina	0.525 per 1,000 births
146	Albania	0.525 per 1,000 births
147	Ukraine	0.52 per 1,000 births
148	Thailand	0.507 per 1,000 births
149	Costa Rica	0.505 per 1,000 births
150	Serbia	0.502 per 1,000 births
151	Uruguay	0.489 per 1,000 births
152	Russia	0.474 per 1,000 births
153	Montenegro	0.445 per 1,000 births
154	Brunei Darussalam	0.442 per 1,000 births
155	Malaysia	0.441 per 1,000 births
156	Latvia	0.425 per 1,000 births
157	Romania	0.425 per 1,000 births
158	United Kingdom	0.393 per 1,000 births
159	Ireland	0.387 per 1,000 births
160	Chile	0.384 per 1,000 births
161	Hungary	0.37 per 1,000 births
162	Malta	0.361 per 1,000 births
163	Lithuania	0.351 per 1,000 births
164	Slovakia	0.348 per 1,000 births
165	Croatia	0.346 per 1,000 births
166	Luxembourg	0.336 per 1,000 births
167	Bosnia and Herzegovina	0.332 per 1,000 births
168	France	0.33 per 1,000 births
169	New Zealand	0.327 per 1,000 births
170	Estonia	0.32 per 1,000 births
171	Greece	0.316 per 1,000 births
172	Netherlands	0.315 per 1,000 births
173	Australia	0.31 per 1,000 births
174	Belgium	0.307 per 1,000 births
175	Canada	0.299 per 1,000 births
176	Poland	0.298 per 1,000 births
177	Norway	0.297 per 1,000 births
178	United States	0.297 per 1,000 births
179	Sweden	0.296 per 1,000 births
180	Slovenia	0.295 per 1,000 births
181	Cyprus	0.293 per 1,000 births
182	Andorra	0.285 per 1,000 births
183	Israel	0.284 per 1,000 births
184	Portugal	0.277 per 1,000 births
185	Spain	0.271 per 1,000 births
186	Belarus	0.269 per 1,000 births
187	San Marino	0.259 per 1,000 births
188	Denmark	0.257 per 1,000 births
189	Czech Republic	0.251 per 1,000 births
190	Austria	0.245 per 1,000 births
191	Singapore	0.235 per 1,000 births
192	Italy	0.233 per 1,000 births
193	Switzerland	0.232 per 1,000 births
194	Germany	0.228 per 1,000 births
195	South Korea	0.221 per 1,000 births
196	Finland	0.214 per 1,000 births
197	Iceland	0.209 per 1,000 births
198	Japan	0.205 per 1,000 births
199	Monaco	0.202 per 1,000 births

↑Top 10 Countries

Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.

↓Bottom 10 Countries

Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.

Analysis & Context

In 2009, Somalia had the highest rate in the Global Stillbirth Rate Trends at 3.93 per 1,000 births, while the range of stillbirth rates globally extended from a minimum of 0.20 to a maximum of 3.93. The global average stillbirth rate for 2009 was 1.23 per 1,000 births, with a median value of 1.00. This context highlights the significant disparities in stillbirth rates across different countries.

Economic Factors and Stillbirth Rate Disparities

Economic conditions are a major determinant of health outcomes, including stillbirth rates. Countries with higher stillbirth rates, such as Somalia (3.93) and Ethiopia (3.84), often face economic challenges that limit access to quality healthcare services. These nations typically have lower GDP per capita, which correlates with insufficient healthcare infrastructure and resources. Conversely, countries with robust economies and healthcare systems, such as Monaco (0.20) and Japan (0.21), exhibit the lowest stillbirth rates. Economic stability in these nations enables better prenatal care, reducing the likelihood of stillbirths.

Healthcare Access and Quality

Access to quality healthcare is crucial in determining stillbirth rates. Countries with the highest rates, including Chad (3.40) and Djibouti (3.39), often lack sufficient healthcare facilities and trained medical personnel. Inadequate prenatal care and limited maternal health services contribute significantly to higher stillbirth rates. In contrast, nations like Finland (0.21) and Iceland (0.21), where healthcare systems are well-developed and accessible, report some of the lowest stillbirth rates. These countries invest in comprehensive maternal health programs that ensure regular monitoring and timely medical interventions.

Demographic Influences on Stillbirth Rates

Demographic factors also play a significant role in stillbirth rates. High population growth and young maternal age, prevalent in countries like Pakistan (3.72) and Bangladesh (3.07), can increase the risk of stillbirths. These nations face challenges related to early childbearing and large family sizes, which strain healthcare resources. Conversely, countries with older maternal age averages, such as Switzerland (0.23) and Germany (0.23), benefit from more planned pregnancies and better maternal health outcomes.

Trends in Year-Over-Year Changes

The year-over-year changes in stillbirth rates reveal notable trends. Kazakhstan achieved the most significant reduction with a decrease of 0.16 (-15.4%), attributed to improvements in maternal health services and healthcare reforms. Bangladesh also saw a significant drop of 0.12 (-3.8%), reflecting efforts to enhance healthcare access. On the other hand, countries like the Central African Republic experienced an increase of 0.08 (2.6%), highlighting ongoing healthcare challenges. This trend underscores the importance of sustained healthcare investments and policy interventions to achieve better outcomes.

Overall, the analysis of Global Stillbirth Rate Trends in 2009 highlights the critical impact of economic, healthcare, and demographic factors on stillbirth rates. Addressing these disparities requires targeted interventions and international cooperation to improve maternal health globally.

Frequently Asked Questions About Global Stillbirth Rate Trends in 2009

Which country had the highest stillbirth rate in 2009?

Somalia had the highest stillbirth rate in 2009, with 3.93 per 1,000 births.

Which country had the lowest stillbirth rate in 2009?

Monaco had the lowest stillbirth rate in 2009, with 0.2 per 1,000 births.

What was the average stillbirth rate across all countries in 2009?

The average stillbirth rate across all countries in 2009 was 1.23 per 1,000 births.

What was the median stillbirth rate in 2009?

The median stillbirth rate in 2009 was 1 per 1,000 births.

Which countries were in the top 10 for stillbirth rates in 2009?

The top 10 countries for stillbirth rates in 2009 were Somalia, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Guinea-Bissau, Chad, Djibouti, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.

How many countries are included in the 2009 stillbirth rate dataset?

The dataset includes 199 countries for the 2009 stillbirth rate analysis.

Insights by country

South Africa

In 2009, South Africa recorded a Global Stillbirth Rate of 1.79598 per 1,000 births, ranking #49 out of 199 countries. This rate is higher than the global average, indicating significant challenges in maternal and neonatal health. Contributing factors include socioeconomic disparities, limited access to quality healthcare in rural areas, and high rates of HIV/AIDS, which complicate pregnancies and increase risks for both mothers and infants.

Uzbekistan

In 2009, Uzbekistan ranked #97 globally with a stillbirth rate of 1.0704025 per 1,000 births. This rate is significantly higher than that of neighboring Kazakhstan, which has made strides in maternal health. Key drivers of Uzbekistan's stillbirth rate include limited access to quality prenatal care and socioeconomic challenges that impact healthcare infrastructure. Efforts to improve maternal health services and education are crucial for reducing this rate in the future.

Sudan

In 2009, Sudan had a global rank of #19 with a Global Stillbirth Rate of 2.5047362 per 1,000 births. This rate is notably higher than many neighboring countries and reflects broader regional challenges, including access to quality maternal healthcare. Contributing factors to this statistic include ongoing conflict, limited healthcare infrastructure, and socioeconomic instability, which hinder effective prenatal and postnatal care.

Nauru

Nauru ranked #112 in Global Stillbirth Rate Trends in 2009, with a rate of 0.89189905 per 1,000 births. This figure is notably higher than that of neighboring countries in the Pacific region, where many have lower rates due to improved healthcare systems. Contributing factors to Nauru's stillbirth rate include limited access to healthcare services, economic challenges, and a small population that can exacerbate health issues.

Madagascar

In 2009, Madagascar ranked #48 globally with a stillbirth rate of 1.8139411 per 1,000 births. This figure is notably higher than many neighboring countries in the region, reflecting significant health challenges. Contributing factors include limited access to quality maternal healthcare, widespread poverty, and a high prevalence of malnutrition among pregnant women.

Antigua and Barbuda

In 2009, Antigua and Barbuda had a Global Stillbirth Rate of 0.8728122 per 1,000 births, ranking #116 out of 199 countries. This rate is considerably lower than the global average, reflecting improvements in maternal health care and access to prenatal services. Factors contributing to this statistic include the country’s relatively high standard of living and investments in healthcare infrastructure, which have enhanced maternal and infant health outcomes.

Luxembourg

In 2009, Luxembourg had a Global Stillbirth Rate of 0.3357796 per 1,000 births, ranking #166 out of 199 countries. This rate is significantly lower than the global average, indicating better maternal health outcomes compared to countries with higher stillbirth rates. Factors contributing to Luxembourg's performance include its robust healthcare system, high standard of living, and effective prenatal care policies that prioritize maternal and infant health.

South Korea

In 2009, South Korea ranked #195 globally for Global Stillbirth Rate Trends with a rate of 0.22085755 per 1,000 births. This figure places South Korea near the bottom of the global rankings, significantly higher than the best-performing countries. Contributing factors include the country's advanced healthcare system, which emphasizes maternal health, but also demographic challenges such as a low birth rate and an aging population that may impact prenatal care resources.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone ranked #21 in Global Stillbirth Rate Trends in 2009, with a rate of 2.48304 per 1,000 births. This figure is significantly higher than the global average, reflecting ongoing challenges in maternal and child health care. Contributing factors include a history of civil conflict, limited access to healthcare services, and high rates of poverty, which affect the overall health infrastructure and prenatal care in the country.

Switzerland

In 2009, Switzerland ranked #193 globally with a stillbirth rate of 0.23151971 per 1,000 births. This figure is notably lower than the global average, indicating significant healthcare challenges. Contributing factors include Switzerland's robust healthcare system, which emphasizes prenatal care, as well as high levels of maternal education and socioeconomic stability, leading to better health outcomes for mothers and infants.

Data Source

Stillbirth rate | Our World in Data

Our World in Data is a research initiative that provides comprehensive global statistics on various development topics, including health, education, and the economy. The dataset on stillbirth rates offers country-level statistics that track the prevalence of stillbirths, helping to inform public health initiatives and policies.

Visit Data Source

Historical Data by Year

Explore Global Stillbirth Rate Trends data across different years. Compare trends and see how statistics have changed over time.

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

More Health Facts

Access to Safe Drinking Water

Access to safe drinking water measures the percentage of a population with reliable, clean water sources.

View data

Browse All Health

Explore more facts and statistics in this category

All Categories

Discover more categories with comprehensive global data