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Health Indicator Report of Adolescent Births

Research indicates that bearing a child during adolescence is associated with long-term difficulties for the mother, her child, and society. These consequences are often attributable to poverty and other adverse socioeconomic circumstances that frequently accompany early childbearing. Compared to babies born to older mothers, babies born to adolescent mothers, particularly young adolescent mothers, are at higher risk of low birth weight and infant mortality. These babies are more likely to grow up in homes that offer lower levels of emotional support and cognitive stimulation, and they are less likely to earn a high school diploma. For mothers, giving birth during adolescence is associated with limited educational attainment, which in turn can reduce future employment prospects and earning potential.

Adolescent Birth Rate by Age of Mother, Utah and U.S., 2008-2022

Notes

*2022 Provisional Data

Data Sources

  • Utah Birth Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
  • For years 2020 and later, the population estimates are provided by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, Utah state and county annual population estimates are by single year of age and sex, IBIS Version 2022
  • Population Estimates for 2000-2019: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) through a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau, IBIS Version 2020
  • National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Data Interpretation Issues

The adolescent birth rate does not include abortions or miscarriages, and is an underestimate of the adolescent pregnancy rate.

Definition

The adolescent birth rate is reported as the number of live births per 1,000 adolescent females aged 15-19.

Numerator

The number of live births to adolescent mothers aged 15-19.

Denominator

The number of adolescent females in the population.

Other Objectives

Utah's 42 Community Health Indicators[[br]] Similar to HP2020 Objective FP-8: Reduce PREGNANCIES among adolescent females.

How Are We Doing?

The teen birth rates per 1,000 females aged 15-19 in Utah, for the past five years were: 2018: 13.1[[br]] 2019: 12.0[[br]] 2020: 10.5[[br]] 2021: 9.2[[br]] 2022: 8.2 According to the 2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Survey (PRAMS) data, 39% of Utah teen mothers (age 15-19) reported their pregnancies as mistimed or unwanted. Another 26% reported that they were unsure whether or not they wanted to be pregnant.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

The adolescent birth rate in Utah has been lower than the U.S. overall rate over the past decade but is higher than in several other states. Utah and U.S. adolescent birth rates per 1,000 females aged 15-19 for the past five years were: 2018: Utah 13.1/U.S. 17.4[[br]] 2019: Utah 12.0/U.S. 16.7[[br]] 2020: Utah 10.5/U.S. 15.4[[br]] 2021: Utah 9.2/U.S. 13.9[[br]] 2022: Utah 8.2/U.S. 13.6

What Is Being Done?

__Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs:__ The Utah Department of Health and Human Services receives federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Family & Youth Services Bureau to provide two programs addressing teen pregnancy prevention in Utah. The first program is Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE). Funds for this program must be used to implement evidence-based programs that teach participants to voluntarily refrain from sexual activity; normalize the optimal health behavior of avoiding non-marital sexual activity; and address the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by refraining from sexual activity and engaging in healthy relationships. SRAE prioritizes youth ages 10-19 and/or their parents, with a specific focus on youth in the Utah juvenile justice and foster care systems; youth of Hispanic, Black/African American, Pacific Islander, or American Indian origin; and youth residing in rural areas or other disadvantaged geographical areas with teen birth rates higher than the Utah average. The second program is the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). These funds must be used for evidence-based interventions designed to educate adolescents on both abstinence and contraception to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, and at least three adulthood preparation subjects (healthy relationships, education and career success, healthy life skills, adolescent development, financial literacy, and parent-child communication). The priority population for PREP in Utah is youth ages 14-19, and their parents, with a specific focus on youth in the Utah Juvenile Justice and foster care systems; pregnant and parenting teens; youth of Hispanic, Black/African American, Pacific Islander, or American Indian origin; and youth residing in rural areas or other disadvantaged geographical areas with teen birth rates higher than the Utah average. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (UDHHS) sub-contracts these federal funds to local health departments, community agencies, and tribal entities or governments. For more information or questions regarding the two programs mentioned above, contact Elizabeth Gerke at 801-273-2870 or egerke@utah.gov.

Evidence-based Practices

The Utah teen pregnancy prevention programs utilize the following evidence-based interventions: *Choosing the Best[[br]] *Families Talking Together[[br]] *INclued [[br]] *Get Real[[br]] *Making Proud Choices[[br]] *Sexual Health and Adolescent Risk Prevention (SHARP) [[br]] *Teen Outreach Program (TOP)

Available Services

Youth development programs, resources for health teachers, and/or classes for youth and parents are available in local areas across the state. For more information, contact Elizabeth Gerke at egerke@utah.gov or 801-273-2870.
Page Content Updated On 11/06/2023, Published on 01/05/2024
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Content updated: Fri, 5 Jan 2024 16:59:50 MST