Change Indicator

Births to teenage mothers 2018-2021 in Maine

Births to teenage mothers 2018-2021

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Why This Indicator Matters

According to the Center for Disease Control, "Giving birth during the teen years has been linked with increased medical risks and emotional, social, and financial costs to the mother and her children. Becoming a teen mom affects whether the mother finishes high school, goes to college, and the type of job she will get, especially for younger teens ages 15 to 17." 
For more info, CDC Parenting and young teens 

What the data shows
In 2021, of the 12,001 births in Maine, 301 were to females ages 10 -19, or 2.5% of all births. This represents a decrease from 2020, (396 births to teens) and 2019, (340 teen births).

In 2021, the counties with the highest rate of births to females under age 20 were Somerset, Washington and Piscataquis with rates of 5.4%, 5.1% and 4.5% of all births respectively. All three counties had lower rates than the previous year, though. By contrast, the rate in Cumberland County for teen births was 1.0% and York County was also under 2 percent at 1.7%.  For numbers of teen births, rather than rates, Androscoggin had the most teen births in 2021 at 49. 
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Definition and Source

PROVIDER

Definition

The number and percent of births to teenage mothers under age 20. This data is reported as a percent of all live births.  Births are reported by the mother's place of residence at the time of the birth.
        
The numerator is the number of births to mothers ages 10 -19 and the denominator is the number of births by females of any age. If there are 5 or fewer teen births, but the number and the percent are suppressed, and represented by an s.

Data Source

Notes

Beginning with 2018, data is reported for females age 10 -19 who give birth. Marital status is not included.

Updated: January 2023.

Last Updated

January 2023