Teen Pregnancy Trend in Alberta (1991-2023)

Teen pregnancy in Alberta has seen a remarkable and consistent decline over the past three decades. In 1991, more than 8% of all live births in the province were to teenage mothers. By 2023, that figure had dropped to just 1.36%. This represents an 83% decrease in the teen birth rate — a shift that reflects both public health progress and societal change in how young people approach reproductive health.

Teen Births in Alberta: A 30-Year Trend

In 1991, Alberta recorded 3,460 births to teen mothers, which accounted for 8.09% of all live births in the province. At the time, teen pregnancy was a prominent public health issue.

Fast forward to 2023, and that number has fallen to 657 teen births, making up just 1.36% of total births — a historic low for the province.gest that Alberta has sustained historically low levels of teen pregnancy compared to other provinces and past decades..

How Alberta Compares to the National Average

Alberta’s 2023 teen birth rate of 1.36% is slightly above the national average of 1.3%, but both are trending downward. In the early 1990s, Alberta was well above the Canadian average, but it has since caught up, thanks to consistent policy improvements and social progress.

Number of Live Births to Teen Mothers in Alberta (19 Years or Younger):

Year	Total number of live births in province	Number of live births to teen mothers in province	Percentage of live births
1991	42,782	3,460	8.09%
1992	42,036	3,310	7.87%
1993	40,296	3,047	7.56%
1994	39,798	3,071	7.72%
1995	38,924	3,035	7.80%
1996	37,862	2,739	7.23%
1997	36,911	2,588	7.01%
1998	37,913	2,646	6.98%
1999	38,181	2,627	6.88%
2000	37,015	2,460	6.65%
2001	37,626	2,337	6.21%
2002	38,707	2,242	5.79%
2003	40,308	2,144	5.32%
2004	40,789	2,117	5.19%
2005	42,124	2,163	5.13%
2006	45,250	2,335	5.16%
2007	49,039	2,504	5.11%
2008	50,871	2,457	4.83%
2009	51,741	2,380	4.60%
2010	50,870	2,143	4.21%
2011	51,063	2,004	3.92%
2012	52,649	1,911	3.63%
2013	53,428	1,812	3.39%
2014	55,836	1,629	2.92%
2015	56,946	1,526	2.68%
2016	55,948	1,325	2.37%
2017	53,712	1,202	2.24%
2018	52,528	1,011	1.92%
2019	51,793	865	1.67%
2020	49,071	835	1.70%
2021	49,965	752	1.51%
2022	47,475	680	1.43%
2023	48,293	657	1.36%

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