Average Age of Mothers in Northwest Territories at Birth (1999-2023)

From 1999 to 2023, the maternal age landscape in the Northwest Territories has undergone a notable transformation. Fewer teens are giving birth, and more women are becoming mothers later in life. These shifts mirror broader Canadian trends but reveal unique regional dynamics shaped by cultural, geographic, and economic factors.

Fewer Teenage Births in the Northwest Territories

In 1999, teenage mothers (15–19 years old) accounted for a significant 16.7% of all births in the Northwest Territories. By 2023, this figure had dropped to just 3.1%, highlighting a dramatic decline in teen pregnancies over the 25-year period. This trend may be attributed to expanded sexual health education, increased use of contraception, and changing social norms around early motherhood.

---

Declining Birth Rates Among Women in Their Early 20s

Similarly, births to women aged 20–24 dropped from 23.4% in 1999 to 13.6% in 2023. This decrease indicates that young adulthood is increasingly being spent on education and career building, with many delaying family planning until their late 20s or early 30s.

---

Stable but Shifting Birth Rates Among Women Aged 25–29

Women aged 25–29 historically made up the largest share of mothers in the Northwest Territories. Though this age group still represents a significant portion (24.3% in 2023), its share has declined from a peak of 29.8% in 2018. This dip coincides with an increase in the 30–34 and 35–39 age brackets.

---

Rise of Older Motherhood in the North

Perhaps the most significant trend is the increase in births to women aged 30 and above. In 1999, only 18.9% of births were to women aged 30–34. By 2023, that number had surged to 34.8%, making this the new peak childbearing age. Similarly, births to women aged 35–39 nearly doubled—from 10.1% in 1999 to 19.9% in 2023. Births to women aged 40–44 rose from 1.8% to 4% over the same period.

These increases reflect greater access to fertility treatments, improved maternal health care, and a cultural shift toward delayed childbearing.

Percentage of Births by Age of Mother in Northwest Territories:

Age of mother	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
under 15 years	0.2	0.5	0.2	0	0.4	0.3	0.1	0	0	0.3	0	0.1	0.1	0	0.2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
15 to 19 years	16.7	15.3	11	12.2	10	12.6	10	11.2	9.1	7.6	8.7	9.1	8.1	7.2	6.2	8.3	6.6	5.3	7.5	6.7	6	4.7	3.5	3.6	3.1
20 to 24 years	23.4	23.9	26	22.7	25.1	22.9	22.4	21.4	24.5	24	23.7	22.5	23.5	22.4	22.6	20.1	18.6	18.4	14.6	14.7	15.6	15.5	13.1	15.1	13.6
25 to 29 years	28.6	25.3	24.7	28.4	24.4	27.3	29.3	29.6	27.3	27.8	26.4	26.9	25.8	27.9	26.2	28.4	26.6	26.3	29.1	29.8	26.8	29.3	30.4	22.1	24.3
30 to 34 years	18.9	21.7	23.1	25.2	26.1	23.6	25	23.6	24.1	24.2	25.8	28.1	25.5	26.5	30.4	29.1	30.8	29.1	29.2	28.3	30.4	29.3	31.5	37.3	34.8
35 to 39 years	10.1	11.4	12.6	9.7	11.3	11.2	11	11.5	12.3	12.8	12.4	10.1	14.7	11.7	12.9	11.7	14	18.1	16.9	17.4	18	16.9	18.2	18.1	19.9
40 to 44 years	1.8	1.7	2.4	1.7	2.5	1.9	1.7	2.6	2.4	3.2	2.9	3.1	2	4	1.5	2.3	3.1	2.6	2.4	3	3.3	4.2	3.5	3.8	4
45 to 49 years	0.4	0.1	0	0.2	0.3	0.1	0.4	0.1	0.4	0.1	0	0	0.1	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.3	0	0	0	0	0	0.2

Source:

Source Name:	Statistics Canada. Table 13-10-0416-01. Live births, by age of mother.
Source Link:	https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=1310041601
Release Date:	2024-09-25