The following results were found in the comparison between urban and rural areas from 2000 to 2013: the BGV and T ranges for the IBD were [0.308, 452.413] and [0.007, 10.778], respectively, the BGV and T ranges for the MMR were [0.04, 366.723] and [0.022, 103.032], respectively, and the BGV and T ranges for the NMR were [3.24, 66.422] and [54.37, 110.764], respectively. The disparity of the MMR between the urban and rural areas was the lowest (T = 7.246) in 2013, whereas the disparity of the U5MR between urban and rural areas was the highest (T = 88.611). From 2000 to 2013, there was a decreasing trend in the disparity of all indicators with the exception of an upward trend in the disparity of the IBD between the urban and rural areas. The BGV (Slope BGV = -32.24) and T (Slope T = 7.87) of the MMR declined fastest and showed the largest range of decline, whereas the U5MR equality trend between the urban and rural areas showed slower improvement (Fig. 2).Fig. 2Disparity trends in China’s maternal and child health outcomes between urban and rural areas from 2000 to 2013