Teenagers gave birth to a total of 2823 children in 2022
In North Rhine-Westphalia last year, around one in 59 newborns had a mother under the age of 20. Teenage mothers gave birth to 2823 children, the state statistics office announced in Düsseldorf on Friday. This corresponds to 1.7 percent of all births in 2022. In 2021, the proportion was also 1.7 percent. In comparison: In 2000, there were still 6979 births to mothers under 20 years of age. The proportion of all births at that time was 4.0 percent.
In 2056 births in 2022, the teenage mothers were 18 or 19 years old. In 767 newborns, the mother was still a minor. Last year, 38 mothers were 14 years old or younger at birth. This figure fluctuates greatly from year to year. In 2021, 24 mothers under the age of 15 were registered, compared to 40 in 2020.
The proportion of children born to teenage mothers in the total number of births was highest in Hagen (5.3 percent), Gelsenkirchen (5.2 percent) and Herne (4.1 percent). The lowest percentages were recorded for Düsseldorf, Leverkusen and the Borken district (0.8 percent each).
Discussing the impact of family planning programs, it's worth noting that efforts in addressing social affairs should focus on promoting responsible parenting among adolescents. This is crucial considering that 767 newborns in 2022 were born to mothers who were still minors, underscoring the need for comprehensive family planning initiatives.
Source: www.dpa.com
