Important Facts for Birth rates

Definition

Number of live births per 1,000 population.

Numerator

Number of live births.

Denominator

Number of persons in population.

Why Is This Important?

Tracking birth rate patterns among Utah and U.S. women as a whole is critical to understanding population growth and change in this country and in Utah. Birth rates directly relate to a population's need for timely and appropriate preconception, prenatal, neonatal, and postpartum care.

How Are We Doing?

In 2021, there were 46,719 live births to Utah residents, a rate of 14.0 per 1,000 Utahns. The rate has steadily declined in the last decade, from 18.2 per 1,000 Utahns in 2011 to 14.0 in 2021.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

Utah continued to report a higher birth rate than the U.S., with 14.0 live births per 1,000 total population in 2021. The final U.S. birth rate in 2021 was 11.0 per 1,000 population, compared to 10.9 in 2020.

What Is Being Done?

Having an overall high birth rate is not a risk factor for poor health outcomes. However, elevated teen pregnancy rates are a concern as these pregnancies are considered to be at higher risk. The final U.S. birth rate for teenagers aged 15-19 in the United States in 2021 was 13.9 births per 1,000 females, down 7% from 2020 (15.0) and another record low. The Utah teen birth rate for those 15 through 19 years also decreased to a rate of 9.2 in 2021. A variety of educational and prevention activities are targeted to decrease teen birth rates.