Skip directly to searchSkip directly to the site navigationSkip directly to the page's main content

PHOM Indicator Profile Report of Adolescent Births

Why Is This Important?

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

::chart - missing::
confidence limits

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 Notes

*2022 Provisional Data

Risk Factors

Experiencing birth during adolescence can increase a teen's risk of acquiring a sexually-transmitted infection as well as seriously hinder future financial stability due to limited educational attainment.

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.

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.

Date Indicator Content Last Updated: 11/06/2023


Other Views

The information provided above is from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services IBIS-PH web site (http://ibis.health.state.gov). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Thu, 28 March 2024 8:54:14 from Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health Web site: http://ibis.health.state.gov ".

Content updated: Fri, 5 Jan 2024 16:59:50 MST