Average Age of Mothers in Nova Scotia at Birth (1991-2023)

Nova Scotia’s maternal age trends have changed dramatically between 1991 and 2023. Women are increasingly delaying childbirth, with significant decreases in teen and early 20s births and sharp increases in births among women in their 30s and even 40s. These shifts reflect broader national patterns while highlighting Nova Scotia’s own demographic evolution.

Teenage Birth Rates in Sharp Decline

In 1991, 8.5% of all births in Nova Scotia were to mothers aged 15–19. By 2023, that number dropped to just 1.4%, marking a steady and sustained decline. This trend is consistent with nationwide reductions in teenage pregnancies due to better access to reproductive education, contraception, and shifts in societal expectations.

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Fewer Births in Early 20s

In 1991, the 20–24 age group made up 23.1% of births. In 2023, that figure dropped to 10.9%, with much of the decline occurring steadily over the past two decades. As more women pursue higher education and careers, family planning is being delayed well into their late 20s or early 30s.

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25–29 Still Strong, But on the Decline

Women aged 25–29 once made up the dominant age group for mothers—37.1% in 1991. While this group still plays a major role, their share fell to 27.1% by 2023, overtaken by older age brackets as societal norms continue shifting.

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30s Are the New Norm

The largest growth occurred in the 30–34 and 35–39 age groups:

• 30–34 years: From 23.5% in 1991 to 37.2% in 2023.
• 35–39 years: From 6.8% in 1991 to 19.3% in 2023.

More women are waiting until their 30s to begin or expand their families—often due to career stability, financial planning, or personal goals.

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Growing (But Modest) Births in the 40s

While still a small percentage, the proportion of mothers aged 40–44 has grown from 0.8% in 1991 to 3.9% in 2023. Advances in reproductive health care, improved maternal support, and shifting attitudes around “later life” pregnancies contribute to this rise.

Percentage of Births by Age of Mother in Nova Scotia:

Age of mother	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	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	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0	0	0	0.1	0.1	0.1	0	0.1	0	0	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
15 to 19 years	8.5	8.4	8.4	8.6	8.2	8.2	7.5	7.8	7.2	6.4	5.7	5.9	5.4	5.1	4.8	5.5	5.8	6.2	6.2	6	5.7	5.5	5.3	4.2	4	3.5	3.4	2.7	2.9	2.4	2	1.8	1.4
20 to 24 years	23.1	23.1	22.4	22.6	22.8	22.2	21.9	21.5	21	20.9	19.6	20.5	19.7	19.5	19.4	19	18.5	18.6	19.2	19.1	18.8	18.6	18.4	18.3	17.2	17.4	16.1	15.7	14.5	13	12.2	10.9	10.9
25 to 29 years	37.1	35.5	34.8	33.4	32.3	31.4	32.2	31.8	32.1	31.8	31.1	29.9	30.2	29.9	30.9	29.5	29.8	29.3	28.8	28.8	28.9	29.9	28.1	28	29.1	29.3	28.8	29.6	30.3	29.2	28.6	27.7	27.1
30 to 34 years	23.5	24.5	25.3	26.1	27.1	27.6	27.1	26.9	26.7	27.3	29.7	28.3	30.1	30.1	30.2	30.2	30.2	29.4	29.3	30.4	30.1	29.9	31.1	31.9	32	32.3	32.3	32.9	32.9	34.4	36.8	36.7	37.2
35 to 39 years	6.8	7.4	8	8.4	8.5	9.3	10	10.4	11.4	11.6	12	13	12.3	13.1	12.2	13.1	13.4	14.1	14	12.9	13.8	13.5	14.3	14.9	14.8	14.9	16.6	16.6	16.4	17.8	17.2	19.3	19.3
40 to 44 years	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.8	1	1.2	1.2	1.4	1.5	1.8	1.9	2.3	2.1	2.2	2.3	2.4	2.2	2.2	2.4	2.6	2.6	2.6	2.6	2.6	2.7	2.6	2.6	2.4	2.7	3	3.2	3.4	3.9
45 to 49 years	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	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