Drop in teen pregnancy hailed; focus on births in pocket areas

Health officials are hailing yet another drop in Utah's overall teen pregnancy rate, but they're also keeping their eyes on "alarmingly high" teen birthrates in targeted pockets of the state.

The teen pregnancy rate decreased 3.5 percent from 2003 to 2005, according to data released Thursday by the Utah Department of Health. In 2003, nearly 40 of every 1,000 girls ages 15 to 19 became pregnant; in 2005, that number fell to 38 per 1,000.

The decrease is a "significant drop," said Jennifer Mayfield, adolescent health coordinator for health department, and puts the state on track to meet its goal to cut the teen pregnancy rate by 20 percent by 2015.

If met, the ambitious goal would bring Utah's teen pregnancy rate to 32 per 1,000 young mothers. The national rate in 2002 was 75 per 1,000, according to the health department.

Statewide, teen pregnancy rates have been on the decline for the past 10 years.

Teen pregnancy rates track the number of live births, fetal deaths and abortions. Teen birthrates, on the other hand, count only the number of live births to teen mothers, which continue to remain alarmingly high in certain areas of the state.

Of the 61 regional areas tracked by the Department of Health, 18 have higher teen birthrates than the national average. The highest teen birth rates in the state are Rose Park, with an average rate of 96.5 per 1,000 teen girls, downtown Ogden with 83 per 1,000 and Glendale at 79.8 per 1,000, according to the health department.

In Ogden, where the teen birthrate is twice the national average, officials with the Weber-Morgan Health Department have received a $3 million federal grant to implement a community-based abstinence education program. Some of the money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will go toward a media campaign to raise awareness about teen pregnancy.

Officials in Northern Utah have also incorporated a Spanish-language component to educational efforts, as statistics indicate that the highest teen birthrates in the state are among 15- to 19-year-old Hispanic/Latina girls.

"That's where we're really needing to concentrate our efforts," Mayfield said.

Upcoming state and local prevention efforts will focus on this population with programs that include more parents in the dialogue, Mayfield said. The health department is working on a pilot program, developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that will bring parents of Utah teenagers together once a week for a variety of lessons.

"Parents are critical," Mayfield said. "We feel if we have parents' backing, not only will they receive information in schools, but they'll have reinforcement at home, as well."

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E-mail: awelling@desnews.com