Assessing Differences in Country-Level Estimates of Maternal Mortality: A Comparison of GMatH, UN, and GBD Model Results for 2020

This study compares country-level estimates of maternal deaths and maternal mortality ratios for 2020 across three major modeling approaches: the Global Maternal Health (GMatH) model (v2023), the United Nations model (v2023), and the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) model (v2021). The authors summarize differences across models, assess convergence, and examine empirical mortality data in countries with large discrepancies. The findings highlight variation across estimation frameworks and underscore the importance of model transparency and data quality in informing maternal health policy and tracking progress toward Sustainable Development Goals.