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.

Data Notes

*2023 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: 2019: 11.4[[br]] 2020: 10.2[[br]] 2021: 9.2[[br]] 2022: 8.3[[br]] 2023: 8.0 According to the 2022 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Survey (PRAMS) data, 42% of Utah teen mothers (age 15-19) reported their pregnancies as mistimed or unwanted. Another 25% 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 reaches youth ages 10-19 and/or their parents, with a specific focus on youth with higher than average adolescent birth rates, including youth in the Utah juvenile justice and foster care systems; youth residing in rural areas; or other communities with birth rates higher than the Utah state rate. 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 service population for PREP in Utah is youth ages 14-19, and their parents, with a specific focus on youth with higher than average adolescent birth rates, including youth in the Utah juvenile justice and foster care systems; pregnant and parenting teens; youth residing in rural areas; or other communities with birth rates higher than the Utah state rate. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) 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 Sarah Schafer at 801-247-9382 or sarahschafer@utah.gov.