Birth patterns shape maternal and newborn outcomes around the world. This page looks at where births are concentrated and the fertility trends behind them, from Niger’s 6.7 children per woman (2022) to South Sudan’s 5.8. It then connects access and medical practice to key health conditions—like cesarean delivery rates and major maternal issues such as hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders—along with newborn risks tied to preterm complications, infections, and intrapartum-related events.
Key Takeaways
- Cesarean section rates globally 21% of births in 2021
- Brazil highest C-section rate 55.6% in 2022
- US C-section rate 32.1% in 2022
- Niger has the highest total fertility rate at 6.7 children per woman in 2022
- South Sudan follows with 5.8 fertility rate in 2022
- Chad's TFR is 5.7 in 2023 estimates
- In 2022, the global crude birth rate was 17.3 live births per 1,000 population
- The world population had approximately 134 million births in 2023
- Asia accounted for 59% of global births in 2021 with about 78 million births
- Global neonatal mortality rate 17 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022
- Preterm birth complications cause 1 million neonatal deaths yearly
- Intrapartum-related events kill 700,000 newborns annually
- Severe maternal hemorrhage occurs in 27.1% of births globally
- Hypertensive disorders affect 9.1% of global pregnancies
- Sepsis complicates 5.0% of births worldwide
Around 134 million babies were born worldwide in 2023, amid high C section rates and major newborn and maternal health risks.
Related reading
01 · Category
Delivery Methods25 stats
01
Cesarean section rates globally 21% of births in 2021
02
Brazil highest C-section rate 55.6% in 2022
03
US C-section rate 32.1% in 2022
04
India C-section 21.5% in private sector vs 18.9% public
05
China 36% C-sections in 2021
06
WHO recommends C-section 10-15% optimal
07
Instrumental vaginal deliveries 3% globally
08
Episiotomy rates 20-30% in some regions
09
Home births 20% in low-income countries
10
Hospital births 90% in high-income countries
11
Breech presentation 3-4% of term pregnancies
12
Vacuum extraction used in 5-10% assisted deliveries
13
Forceps deliveries declined to <1% in many countries
14
Multiple births 1.2% of deliveries globally
15
Induced labor 25% of US births in 2022
16
Augmented labor 20% globally
17
Water births increasing, 1-2% in UK
18
Vertical birth positions reduce C-section by 25%
19
VBAC success rate 60-80% where attempted
20
Elective C-sections 10-15% of total C-sections
21
Shoulder dystocia 0.2-3% vaginal births
22
Uterine rupture 0.5-1% in VBAC attempts
23
Global epidural use 20-60% depending on region
24
Nitrous oxide analgesia 50% in some European countries
25
Pain relief coverage 55% in births worldwide
Interpretation
Delivery Methods Interpretation
Across delivery methods, C-sections are far above the WHO’s 10 to 15 percent recommendation, rising from 21 percent globally in 2021 to as high as 55.6 percent in Brazil in 2022 and 32.1 percent in the US, with India’s private sector also exceeding its public rate at 21.5 percent versus 18.9 percent.
02 · Category
Fertility Rates30 stats
01
Niger has the highest total fertility rate at 6.7 children per woman in 2022
02
South Sudan follows with 5.8 fertility rate in 2022
03
Chad's TFR is 5.7 in 2023 estimates
04
Somalia at 5.6 children per woman
05
Mali's fertility rate is 5.5 in 2022
06
Angola TFR 5.4
07
Burundi 5.3 fertility rate
08
DR Congo 5.3 TFR
09
Nigeria 5.2 children per woman
10
Gambia 5.1 TFR in 2022
11
Uganda 4.9 fertility rate
12
Zambia 4.8 TFR
13
Tanzania 4.7 children per woman
14
Central African Republic 4.6 TFR
15
Afghanistan 4.5 fertility rate in 2022
16
Yemen 4.4 TFR
17
Timor-Leste 3.9 children per woman
18
Pakistan 3.4 TFR in 2023
19
South Korea's TFR hit 0.72 in 2023, lowest globally
20
Japan TFR 1.26 in 2022
21
Italy 1.24 TFR
22
Spain 1.19 fertility rate
23
China 1.18 TFR in 2022
24
Taiwan 0.87 TFR in 2023
25
Global TFR declined from 4.98 in 1960 to 2.3 in 2022
26
Adolescent fertility rate globally 38.2 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 in 2021
27
Replacement fertility level is 2.1 children per woman
28
Lifetime fertility in high-income countries averages 1.6
29
Globally, 45% of pregnancies unintended in 2022
30
US total fertility rate 1.62 in 2022
Interpretation
Fertility Rates Interpretation
Under Fertility Rates, the figures show a clear concentration in high childbearing levels, with Niger topping the list at 6.7 children per woman in 2022 and several nearby countries like South Sudan at 5.8 and Chad at 5.7 clustered just below it.
03 · Category
Global Birth Rates30 stats
01
In 2022, the global crude birth rate was 17.3 live births per 1,000 population
02
The world population had approximately 134 million births in 2023
03
Asia accounted for 59% of global births in 2021 with about 78 million births
04
Africa's share of global births rose to 30% in 2022, totaling around 40 million
05
Europe's crude birth rate dropped to 9.4 per 1,000 in 2021
06
Latin America and Caribbean had 22 million births in 2022, representing 16% globally
07
Northern America recorded 4.1 million births in 2022
08
Oceania's birth rate was 13.5 per 1,000 in 2021
09
The global sex ratio at birth was 105.6 boys per 100 girls in 2020
10
In 2023, India had 24.5 million births, the highest nationally
11
China's births fell to 9.02 million in 2022 from 10.6 million in 2021
12
Nigeria projected 7.8 million births in 2023
13
Pakistan saw 5.8 million births in 2022
14
Indonesia recorded 4.9 million births in 2022
15
The US had 3.66 million births in 2022, down 2% from 2021
16
Brazil's births numbered 2.8 million in 2022
17
Bangladesh had 2.5 million births in 2022
18
Russia reported 1.25 million births in 2022
19
Japan's births hit a record low of 758,631 in 2022
20
Ethiopia estimated 3.2 million births in 2023
21
DR Congo had 2.9 million births in 2022
22
Mexico saw 1.9 million births in 2022
23
Philippines recorded 1.7 million births in 2022
24
Egypt had 2.4 million births in 2022
25
Vietnam noted 1.4 million births in 2022
26
Turkey reported 1.1 million births in 2022
27
Global twin birth rate is about 12 per 1,000 deliveries
28
Triplet births occur at 0.1% of global deliveries
29
In 2021, preterm births globally numbered 13.4 million
30
Stillbirths worldwide reached 1.9 million in 2021
Interpretation
Global Birth Rates Interpretation
In the Global Birth Rates picture, births remain concentrated in faster-growing regions, with Asia producing about 78 million births in 2021 and Africa rising to 30% of global births in 2022 at roughly 40 million, while Europe’s crude birth rate fell to 9.4 per 1,000 in 2021.
More related reading
04 · Category
Infant Outcomes26 stats
01
Global neonatal mortality rate 17 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022
02
Preterm birth complications cause 1 million neonatal deaths yearly
03
Intrapartum-related events kill 700,000 newborns annually
04
Infections/sepsis 600,000 neonatal deaths
05
Birth asphyxia/asphyxia 700,000 deaths
06
Under-5 mortality 37 per 1,000 live births globally
07
Infant mortality rate 28 per 1,000 in 2022
08
Sub-Saharan Africa neonatal rate 27 per 1,000
09
Low birthweight babies 20.5 million or 14.8% globally
10
Congenital anomalies 240,000 neonatal deaths yearly
11
US infant mortality 5.4 per 1,000 in 2022
12
Japan lowest at 1.7 per 1,000 infants
13
Pakistan highest 55.7 per 1,000
14
Nigeria 52.9 infant mortality rate
15
2.4 million neonatal deaths in 2022
16
Early neonatal deaths 1.6 million, late 800,000
17
Kangaroo mother care reduces mortality by 25%
18
Breastfeeding within 1 hour saves 823,000 child/infant lives yearly
19
Apgar score <7 at 5 min in 6% global births
20
Small-for-gestational-age babies 20% in low/middle income
21
Birth defects affect 6% of babies, 3.2 million anomalies yearly
22
Down syndrome incidence 1 in 700 births
23
Neural tube defects 300,000 preventable cases yearly
24
US neonatal abstinence syndrome 7 per 1,000 births
25
Global stillbirth rate 13.9 per 1,000 in 2021
26
Antenatal steroids reduce preterm mortality by 25% where available
Interpretation
Infant Outcomes Interpretation
Infant outcomes remain dire globally, with neonatal mortality at 17 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 and nearly all deaths in the first weeks of life driven by major preventable causes such as preterm complications and infections or sepsis, each accounting for around 600,000 to 1 million deaths yearly.
05 · Category
Maternal Health24 stats
01
Severe maternal hemorrhage occurs in 27.1% of births globally
02
Hypertensive disorders affect 9.1% of global pregnancies
03
Sepsis complicates 5.0% of births worldwide
04
Global maternal mortality ratio 223 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020
05
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70% of maternal deaths
06
295,000 women died from pregnancy-related causes in 2017, latest comprehensive
07
Anemia affects 40% of pregnant women globally
08
Gestational diabetes prevalence 14% worldwide
09
94% maternal deaths preventable with quality care
10
In low-income countries, 1 in 41 women die from pregnancy complications
11
US maternal mortality rate 32.9 per 100,000 in 2021
12
Preeclampsia affects 5-8% of pregnancies in high-income countries
13
Postpartum hemorrhage is cause in 27% of maternal deaths
14
82% of maternal deaths occur in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa
15
HIV-related maternal deaths 5.7% globally
16
Malaria causes 11% of maternal deaths in Africa
17
Obstructed labor responsible for 8% of maternal deaths
18
Unsafe abortion leads to 13% maternal deaths
19
Embolism 13% in high-income
20
Maternal obesity rate 20% in pregnant women OECD
21
Antenatal care coverage 86% globally for at least one visit
22
Skilled birth attendance 89% worldwide
23
Institutional deliveries 89% in developing regions
24
Postpartum depression affects 10-15% mothers
Interpretation
Maternal Health Interpretation
Maternal health outcomes remain deeply concerning, with severe maternal hemorrhage affecting 27.1% of births worldwide and the global maternal mortality ratio still at 223 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, while 70% of maternal deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa.
report visual · Comparison
C-section rates vary widely by country
C-section rates range from about one in five births globally to much higher levels in some countries.
Brazil highest C-section rate 55.6% in 202255.6%
China 36% C-sections in 2021
36%
US C-section rate 32.1% in 2022
32.1%
Cesarean section rates globally 21% of births in 2021
21%
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Birth Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/birth-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Birth Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/birth-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Birth Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/birth-statistics.
Sources & references
44 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level