In 2021, the state counted a total of 73,898 live births (all singleton and multi-gestation included). The pregnancy rate was 67.2 per 1,000 females ages 15-44. Among these births, 9.6% were premature (less than 37 weeks of gestation) and 7.3% were low birth weight (less than 2,500 grams/5 pounds, 8 ounces). Between 2020 and 2021, the birth rate increased by 0.7%.
Source: MDH
In 2021, there were 64,449 live births to MN residents. Among these, 80.7% were to people of US origin, and 19.3% were to people not of US origin.
Source: MDH
Healthy People 2030
Healthy People 2030 (HP2030) reduced the number of objectives to prioritize the most pressing public health issues, but low birth weight and very-low birth weight targets were removed.
- Total preterm birth in MN: 10.4%
- Target: 9.4%
Source: March of Dimes
Maternal Mortality in MN
In 2024, MDH released its second-ever MN Maternal Mortality Report, which examined maternal deaths during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy, irrespective of cause from 2017 to 2019. While the report shows the state’s overall maternal mortality rate is much lower than the national average, Black Minnesotans represent 13% of the birthing population but 27% of pregnancy-associated deaths, and American Indian Minnesotans represent 1.7% of the birthing population but 12% of pregnancy-associated deaths.
Quick Facts
- Fertility rate: 58.6 births per 1,000 (women ages 15-44 years)
- Birth rate: 11.3 births per 1,000 population
- 79.9% of mothers received prenatal care in the first trimester
- 11.3% of mothers reported symptoms of depression after birth in 2024
- 25% of women experienced excess weight pre-pregnancy in 2021
- In 2022, 6.5% of young women of reproductive age used Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) through MN healthcare programs.
- During the postpartum period, 72.9% of mothers were insured through private insurance, 19.4% through Medicaid, and 1.6% had no insurance
- In 2020, 8.5% of MN births were to mothers with gestational diabetes, not including those who had Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes before pregnancy
Sexual Health
Chlamydia
In 2023, there were 13,655 reported cases of chlamydia, a 1.6% decrease from 2022. In 2023, females aged 20-24 had the highest number of chlamydia cases in the state (~5,053 cases).
Gonorrhea
The rate of gonorrhea in MN decreased by 10.7%, and there were 3,081 cases per 100,000 compared to 3,452 reported cases in 2022. Males have a slightly higher incidence of gonorrhea cases (909 cases) compared to females (875).
Syphilis
Source: MDH
Syphilis cases in MN among females 15+ decreased by 5.5% from 2022- 2023 with 143 cases reported in 2023. New infections continued to be centered within the Twin Cities metropolitan area and among males.
Among females in MN, the highest percentage of syphilis was found in white non-Hispanic individuals (44%), followed by Black non-Hispanic (29%) and American Indian individuals (16%).
The annual number of syphilis diagnoses for all Minnesotans:
- 2021: 1,457
- 2022: 1,831
- 2023: 1,748
HIV/AIDS
- In 2023, among 2,267 females surveyed, 36.1% had ever been tested for HIV
- In 2022, 47 females ages 20+ were diagnosed with HIV
Source: MDH
The numbers reported here come from the MDH 2021 MN Health Statistics Annual Summary and CDC BRFSS. They include sexually transmitted infections (STIs) reported in different services throughout the state. It should be noted that the All Payers Claim Database would be a better resource to capture the number of individuals tested.