Country
South Africa
South Africa presents a complex maternal and newborn health landscape shaped by persistent inequality and the HIV epidemic. With a maternal mortality ratio of approximately 126.8 deaths per 100,000 live births and a neonatal mortality rate of approximately 11.0 deaths per 1,000 live births, the country performs better than many regional neighbors but below its economic potential. Approximately 97% of births occur in health facilities, but quality of care varies dramatically between private and public sectors and across different provinces. HIV remains a significant factor, affecting approximately 30% of pregnant women, though mother-to-child transmission has been dramatically reduced through effective prevention programs. The country struggles with staffing shortages in public facilities, particularly in rural areas, leading to overcrowding and compromised care quality in some regions. Recent initiatives focus on respectful maternity care and reducing unnecessary interventions, as cesarean section rates in the private sector exceed 70% in some areas.
Country-level data can provide a micro look at global issues.
The country-level data below is just a small portion of the data available in our database. Find the latest global, country, and regional estimates related to newborn survival in the Chart Builder, as well as data on maternal, adolescent, and child health, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, and other contextual indicators that impact newborns worldwide.
60.1M
Total Population (2023)
2.3
Total Fertility Rate (2023)
11.0
Newborn Mortality Rate per 1k births (2022)
71/163
Rank - Newborn Mortality (2022)
127
Maternal Mortality per 100k births (2020)
40.7
Adolescent Birth Rate per 1k girls aged 15-19
51%
women using modern contraception age 15-49
95.9%
Facility deliveries (2016-2021)
Newborn survival is a global priority
Whether a newborn survives still greatly depends on where they are born. Over 90 percent of newborn deaths occur in Africa and Asia combined, while the risk for babies born in low-income countries is 11 times higher than babies born in high-income countries. Globally, survival rates are improving, but most countries are still falling short of the Sustainable Development Goal of less than 12 newborn deaths for every 1,000 live births.
HNN features data, resources, and knowledge from every country, as every country can be doing more to ensure newborn and maternal survival. Visit our Data page and search our database for more country-specific data.
Toolkits / Training Materials
Grow Great: Stunting Prevention & Healthy Child Development
At present, 1 in 4 children in South Africa is stunted. Stunting prevents children worldwide from achieving their full potential – it impairs a child’s brain development, performance in school, and learning ability for the rest of their life, and it can begin even before a baby is born. This video series is intended to be used as a teaching tool with stunting patients.
Toolkits / Training Materials
Caring for Sick Children in the Community: A Digital Training for Community Health Workers
"Caring for Sick Children in the Community" is a free digital training for CHWs on how to identify the signs of common childhood illnesses, care for sick children at home, and refer families to clinical settings when needed.
