A report card is in for the health by The United Health Foundation on the health of women, infants and children across the nation and in Oklahoma.

The report shows that child mortality and teen suicide rates have risen sharply since 2016 but there has been a drop in the rate of teen births.

Here’s how it looks in Oklahoma:

• In the past year, preterm birth increased 8% from 10.3% to 11.1% of live births before 37 week’s gestation
• In the past year, teen births decreased 15% from 34.8 to 29.7 births per 1,000 females ages 15-19.
• In the past three years, tobacco use among youth ages 12-17 decreased 44% from 11.0% to 6.2%.
• In the past three years, smoking among women ages 18-44 decreased 12% from 24.2% to 21.3%.
• In the past three years, tobacco use during pregnancy decreased 15% from 13.1% to 11.2% of live births.

HPV (human papillomavirus) immunization among teenage boys ages 13-17 increased 7% from 35.0% to 37.5%. This is a strange statistic because males with HPV rarely develop genital cancers and most men who get HPV never develop symptoms and the infection usually clears up by itself. It’s not a danger to people who don’t sleep around.

Our culture provides license for promiscuity and young people are told they can take a pill and avoid the consequences of sleeping around.

And while liberals attack tobacco usage, they are oddly silent about recreational use of marijuana and vaping.

Morality promotes health. Immorality carries a high price tag for a culture.