Teen Pregnancy Trend in Northwest Territories (1999-2023)

Teen pregnancy in the Northwest Territories (NWT) has seen a remarkable decline over the past two decades. In 1999, nearly 17% of all live births were to teen mothers. By 2023, that number had dropped to just over 3%, marking an 82% decrease in teen birth rates.

This data tells the story of meaningful progress in sexual health education, access to contraception, and evolving cultural attitudes across Northern Canada.

The Trend: Steady and Significant Drop in Teen Pregnancies

From 1999–2009:

• Teen birth percentage remained above 10% for most of the decade.
• 2004 had one of the highest post-1999 percentages at 12.8%.

From 2010–2023:

• The teen pregnancy rate dropped consistently year over year.
• 2023 marked the lowest ever teen pregnancy rate recorded in the NWT dataset at 3.1%.

NWT in the National Context

Compared to other provinces and territories, NWT historically had one of the highest teen birth rates in Canada. However, its recent decline places it closer to national averages, with other territories and Prairie provinces now showing similar or slightly higher rates.

Canada’s national teen birth rate in 2023 was approximately 1.3%, while the Northwest Territories stood at 3.1% — still higher, but the gap has narrowed dramatically.

Number of Live Births to Teen Mothers in Northwest Territories (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
1999	851	144	16.9%
2000	806	127	15.8%
2001	619	69	11.1%
2002	648	79	12.2%
2003	710	74	10.4%
2004	724	93	12.8%
2005	727	74	10.2%
2006	724	81	11.2%
2007	751	68	9.1%
2008	726	57	7.9%
2009	716	62	8.7%
2010	702	65	9.3%
2011	693	57	8.2%
2012	682	49	7.2%
2013	665	42	6.3%
2014	666	55	8.3%
2015	684	45	6.6%
2016	646	34	5.3%
2017	616	46	7.5%
2018	625	42	6.7%
2019	583	35	6.0%
2020	569	27	4.7%
2021	550	19	3.5%
2022	502	18	3.6%
2023	477	15	3.1%

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