DES MOINES - A record number of Iowa babies are being born to unwed parents, and the trend is likely to keep climbing given the nation's changing cultural and social mores, experts say.

Out-of-wedlock births in Iowa climbed to 14,018 in 2007. More than one in three babies was born to unwed parents, according to the latest vital statistics report issued by the state Department of Public Health. It marked the 32nd time in 34 years the figure has increased, dating back to 1974 when the number stood at 2,959.

"With the overall status of society, that does not surprise me," said Tom Chapman, executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference. "We think it's healthiest for families to have a mom and a dad in the home. Now not everybody can do that. We know that."

Deb Madison-Levi of Iowa Initiative, a five-year privately funded program focused on reducing unplanned pregnancies in Iowa, said more than half of unintended pregnancies involve women aged 18 to 30.

"That's a huge number," she said.

Teresa Downing-Matibag, an Iowa State University assistant professor of sociology who teaches a course on intimate relationships, said Iowa's out-of-wedlock figures mirror national trends. Young people are delaying marriage until their mid-20s, cohabitating or "hooking up" for casual sexual encounters with inadequate knowledge of how to guard against unintended pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections.

"The research is showing young people are somewhat ambivalent about out-of-wedlock births," she added.

"We also see less social stigma than we used to related to out-of-wedlock child bearing. It's more socially acceptable," she said. Yet it carries implications both for single parents and children who face disadvantages associated with career path interruptions and financial challenges, Downing-Matibag said.

Every dollar invested in family planning saves $4 in public funding, Madison-Levi said.

"It's kind of a big, complex issue," she said. "We think if communities come together and work together we can improve this whole situation and bring down those numbers in Iowa.

"We've got a lot of work to do, but we just think that with open communications and education about it, it's going to solve itself eventually. It will take some time," added Madison-Levi, whose initiative was launched in January 2008.

Downing-Matibag said many young people are bombarded by media and Internet web sites that "promote very promiscuous sexual behavior that is hyper-sexualizing women" but lacking a sense of values to guide sexual behavior.

She noted Iowa ranks 43rd nationally in family planning funding and 48th in access to contraceptives. Research on approaches such as abstinence-only programs and virginity pledges hasn't produced particularly positive results, she said.

Edward Saunders, an associate professor who directs the University of Iowa's School of Social Work, said data indicates comprehensive adolescent pregnancy prevention programs in 54 Iowa counties have proven effective, but a large segment of the state remains unserved or underserved.

The birth rate among Iowans aged 15 to 19 was unchanged in 2006, while 26 states posted increases, Saunders said. Nationally, the teen birthrate was 41.9 per 1,000 births, while Iowa's stood at 32.9 per 1,000 births.

Overall, the 40,835 live births in Iowa's latest statistical profile were the highest yearly total since 1985 and pushed total population to 2,988,046. U.S. Census Bureau officials recently issued new estimates pegging Iowa's head count at 3,002,555 as of July.

The oldest male to father a child in 2007 was 70, while the oldest woman to give birth was 55. The youngest mother was 13 and the youngest father was 14. The lowest recorded birth weight was 11 ounces, or 113 grams, while the largest baby born in 2007 weighed in at 12 pounds and 8 ounces.

A total of 20,916 baby boys were born in 2007 compared with 19,919 girls.

The number of Iowa couples getting married or dissolving their unions each continued three-year declines.

There were 19,895 marriages in 2007, the first time the total dropped below 20,000 since 1963 and well below the 28,030 couples who got hitched in 1978 and the record 48,352 marriages in 1940. The oldest groom in 2007 was 94 years old, and the youngest was 16. The oldest bride was 91, and the youngest was 16.

The 7,622 marriage dissolutions finalized in 2007 marked the lowest yearly total since 1971. The oldest male divorcee was 94 and the oldest female was 95, and the marriage of the longest duration that ended in divorce in 2007 had spanned 66 years, according to state statistics.

Heart disease remained the No. 1 cause of death resulting in 6,915 of the 27,126 deaths in 2007. Cancer remained the second-leading cause of death at 6,357. A record 1,201 Iowans died of Alzheimer's disease. The oldest Iowa man to die in 2007 was 108 years old and the oldest female was 112 at the time of her death.

Contact Rod Boshart at (515) 243-7220 or rod.boshart@gazcomm.com