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Health Indicator Report of General Fertility Rate

The general fertility rate is a more precise measure of tracking birth rate patterns among Utah and U.S. women than is the crude birth rate. While the crude birth rate and the general fertility rate both look at the total number of live births among the population, the crude birth rate is calculated using the total population including the young, old, male, and female. The general fertility rate is calculated using only females of reproductive age - defined as ages 15 through 44 years - residing in Utah during a specified time period. This results in a more sensitive indicator with which to study population growth and change.

General Fertility Rates, Utah vs. U.S., 2010-2020

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 age range can be slightly different, so it is important to note what age range is being used especially if comparison with other rates is contemplated.

Definition

Number of live births per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years.

Numerator

Number of live births.

Denominator

Total number of women aged 15-44 years in the population.

How Are We Doing?

Utah's general fertility rate peaked in 2007, with a rate of 95.4 live births per 1,000 women aged 15 through 44 years of age. The rate has steadily declined since 2007 to 60.6 in 2022.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

The general fertility rate for the United States has also declined since 2007, with a rate of 56.0 per 1,000 women aged 15-44 in 2022. In 2022, the Utah general fertility rate of 60.6 was higher than the U.S. general fertility rate of 56.0.

What Is Being Done?

Fertility rates are a measure of population growth and can be impacted by economic, social, environmental and/or demographic factors.

Available Services

Access to family planning services are available in Utah from several sources: community health centers, Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, Family Planning Elevated, and private providers. Utah law requires parental consent for unmarried minors to obtain contraception information and services from community health centers and clinics. A 2018 Utah law allows pharmacies to dispense three types of contraception - pills, patch, or ring - through a statewide standing order issued by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. People 18 years and older can go to any participating pharmacy to receive their pills, patch, or ring directly from the pharmacist. For more information and to see a list of participating pharmacies, see [https://mihp.utah.gov/birthcontrol]. Preconception and interpregnancy health information are available from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services at [https://mihp.utah.gov/].
Page Content Updated On 11/17/2023, Published on 12/06/2023
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 17:25:06 from Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health Web site: http://ibis.health.state.gov ".

Content updated: Wed, 6 Dec 2023 15:12:47 MST