Birth Outcomes
Seven percent of babies born in San Juan County experience low birth weight, considered to be a poor health outcome for infants. San Juan fares better on this outcome than across the U.S.
Another leading child-maternal health indicator, the infant mortality rate of 5.2 infant deaths per 1,000 births in San Juan County is similar to the rate across New Mexico (5.8) and the U.S. (5.7).
Low Birth Weight
Trends & Race-Ethnicity
Native American infants in San Juan County are less likely to experience low birth weight than Hispanic infants. The rates of LBW among White infants are similar to those across the U.S.
Prenatal Care
Prenatal care is a health factor that plays a central role in infant and child health. Doctors recommend that women see their health care provider before the 13th week of pregnancy and to go back for at least 13 visits before birth.
In San Juan County, fewer than two-thirds (63.5%) of pregnant women receive the recommended first trimester prenatal care, compared to three-fourths of mothers-to-be across the U.S. San Juan County and New Mexico have been consistently below the U.S. for this indicator.
Native American women are less likely to receive prenatal care than White women in San Juan County, and rates for Hispanic women fall between these rates.
Teen Birth Rate
Teen birth rate is a leading social indicator of maternal and child health. Teen pregnancies are more likely to result in health problems for both mother and baby, and parenting challenges can create social and economic hardship.
Of the 1,430 births in San Juan County in 2019, 126 or 8.8% were to teen mothers (age 15-19). There has been a substantial decline in teen pregnancy, although San Juan County’s rate continues to be significantly higher than the U.S. rate. Teen birth rates are higher among Native American and Hispanic girls than White girls.
National Data: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr69/NVSR69-6-508.pdf
PRAMS is a surveillance system supported through a cooperative agreement with the New Mexico Department of Health Maternal Child Health Epidemiology Program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
https://ibis.health.state.nm.us/query/selection/prams/_PRAMSSelection.html