Dangerous Age: Latvian Women Aged 30–44 Die Twice as Often as the EU Average

According to Eurostat, in 2023 Latvia ranked second in the EU for female mortality, with 14.45 deaths per thousand women, surpassed only by Bulgaria with 14.53. Considering that some Latvian residents live abroad and do not officially register their move, Latvia's figure of 14.33 deaths per thousand women places the country in first place in the EU.

Female mortality exceeds the European average (10.6 per 1000) by 36%, and the low life expectancy of Latvian women keeps the country among the EU's laggards.

Mortality is rising from a young age: among women aged 20–24, the rate is 79% higher than the EU average - the highest in Europe. In the age group of 30–44, Latvian women die twice as often as the EU average, ranking first in the European Union. In 2022, 1.25 women per thousand in this group died, while the EU average is 0.62.

From 2011 to 2023, Latvia consistently led in mortality rates for women aged 30–44 (an average of 1.26 per thousand). The most favorable situation is in Norway, Sweden, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Cyprus, where the rate is below 0.5.

The situation among women aged 50–54 remains dire. In 2022, Latvia was again first in the EU with a rate of 4.66 deaths per thousand women, nearly twice the EU average (2.32).

The facts show that women aged 20–55 are in a zone of increased risk for premature death. For many years, state media have downplayed this issue, focusing on violence against women, which contributes minimally to mortality: in 2023, it accounted for 0.04% of all deaths, whereas, in comparison, road traffic accidents claimed 6.7 times more lives.

Latvia needs a comprehensive national strategy to reduce premature female mortality, focusing on young and middle-aged women. The main goal is to improve the quality and longevity of life to approach the EU average and move out of the group of countries with high mortality rates.