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

The age at which women in Quebec give birth has changed dramatically over the last 30+ years. Fewer young women are having children, while births to women in their 30s and 40s have steadily increased. These trends reflect social, economic, and cultural shifts in the province.

Sharp Decline in Teenage and Early 20s Births

In 1991, 4% of Quebec births were to teens aged 15–19. By 2023, that number fell to just 1.1%. A similar pattern emerged in the 20–24 group, which dropped from 20.4% to 8.7% over the same period. This decline suggests:

• Improved access to contraception
• Increased pursuit of higher education
• Delayed life milestones such as marriage and childbearing

---

Steady Decline in Births Among 25–29 Year Olds

The 25–29 cohort saw a gradual decline from a peak of 41.1% in 1991 to 28.7% in 2023. Although still a significant age group, this decline marks a generational shift toward later motherhood.

---

Age 30+ Now the Norm in Quebec

The growth in older motherhood is most pronounced in the 30–34 and 35–39 age brackets:

• Births to mothers aged 30–34 rose from 26.5% in 1991 to 37.9% in 2023
• The 35–39 group increased from 7.1% to 18.7%

Combined, these groups now represent over half of all births in Quebec.

---

Rising but Small Numbers in the 40+ Category

Mothers aged 40 to 44 went from 0.9% in 1991 to 4.6% in 2023. Even those aged 45 to 49, once negligible, now make up 0.3% of births. These shifts reflect greater reproductive health access and evolving family planning choices.

Percentage of Births by Age of Mother in Quebec:

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	0	0	0	0	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
15 to 19 years	4	4.2	4.4	4.6	4.7	4.6	4.7	4.7	4.7	4.4	4.1	3.8	3.4	3.1	3.1	2.7	2.8	2.8	3.1	2.7	2.5	2.4	2.1	1.9	1.8	1.6	1.5	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.2	1.1	1.1
20 to 24 years	20.4	19.3	19.4	19.3	19.4	19.6	19.8	20.1	20.1	20.4	19.6	19.2	18.1	17	16.6	15.4	15	14.6	14.3	13.7	13.7	13	13	12.7	12.2	11.8	11.6	11	10.6	10.3	9.1	9.1	8.7
25 to 29 years	41.1	40.1	38	36.4	34.7	34.3	33.5	33.5	33.5	33.7	34.2	34.4	35.5	35.4	35.8	35.9	35.4	34.9	34.5	33.5	32.7	32.3	31.4	31.1	30.9	31.3	31.6	31.8	31.5	31.2	30.8	29.7	28.7
30 to 34 years	26.5	27.6	28.7	29.3	30.1	29.4	29.5	28.6	28	27.6	28.2	28.7	28.5	29.9	29.8	31	31.4	32.2	32.5	33.6	33.8	34.4	34.7	34.8	34.5	34.2	33.8	33.9	34.2	34.9	36.5	36.9	37.9
35 to 39 years	7.1	7.7	8.4	9.1	9.7	10.5	10.9	11.2	11.9	11.8	11.9	11.8	12.3	12.3	12.3	12.6	12.9	13	13	13.7	14.4	14.8	15.6	16.3	17	17.4	17.7	17.9	18.1	18	18.1	18.4	18.7
40 to 44 years	0.9	1	1.1	1.2	1.3	1.4	1.5	1.7	1.8	2	2	2	2.1	2.2	2.4	2.3	2.4	2.3	2.5	2.6	2.8	2.9	3	3.1	3.4	3.4	3.5	3.8	4	4.1	4.1	4.5	4.6
45 to 49 years	0	0	0	0	0	0.1	0	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	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3

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