8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934



         Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): May 10, 2004


                           Commission File No. 0-11178
                                               -------


                           UTAH MEDICAL PRODUCTS, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


                      UTAH                                    87-0342734
         -----------------------------------             ------------------
         (State or other jurisdiction of                  (I.R.S. Employer
         incorporation or organization)                   Identification No.)


                               7043 South 300 West
                              Midvale, Utah 84047
                     Address of principal executive offices


Registrant's telephone number:      (801) 566-1200
                                    --------------




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                              ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS
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On May 10, 2004, Utah Medical Products, Inc. announced that it is instituting a
regular quarterly cash dividend. The initial dividend of $.15 per share is
payable on July 5, 2004 to shareholders of record at the close of business on
June 16, 2004. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

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                                   SIGNATURES
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   Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchanges Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                                UTAH MEDICAL PRODUCTS, INC.
                                                REGISTRANT


Date:    5/11/2004                              By:  /s/ Kevin L. Cornwell
- ---------------------------------               -----------------------------
                                                     Kevin L. Cornwell
                                                     CEO





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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Index
Number                   Description

99.1                     Press release issued May 10, 2004: Utah Medical
                         Products, Inc. Institutes Quarterly Dividends

EX-99.1

                                  EXHIBIT 99.1

Salt Lake City, Utah - Utah Medical Products, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTMD) today
announces that its Board of Directors has instituted a regular quarterly cash
dividend, with the initial dividend of fifteen cents ($.15) per share of common
stock payable on July 5, 2004 to shareholders of record at the close of business
on June 16, 2004.

Based on yesterday's UTMD closing share price of $25.50, the dividend represents
a yield of 2.4%.

With current shares outstanding, the dividend will be covered by approximately
36% of UTMD's projected net profits. According to Kevin Cornwell, Chairman &
CEO, "For more than ten years, UTMD's stable earnings and strong cash flows have
supported an aggressive share repurchase program. Now that tax laws have changed
allowing dividends to be taxed at a rate comparative to capital gains, and
UTMD's outstanding shares have declined to the point that continuing to
aggressively repurchase shares has become more difficult, the board of directors
feels that a regular quarterly dividend will help provide investors with a
continued excellent return. We believe that the Company will be able to make the
dividend payments for the foreseeable future without significantly reducing its
ability to 1) make reasonable acquisitions, 2) continue to repurchase shares if
they become available at attractive prices, or 3) invest on a longer term basis
in developing new technologies and products."

Investors are cautioned that this press release contains forward looking
statements and that actual events may differ from those projected. Risk factors
that could cause results to differ materially from those projected include
market acceptance of products, timing of regulatory approval of new products,
UTMD's ability to efficiently manufacture, market, and sell its products, among
other factors that have been outlined in UTMD's public disclosure filings with
the SEC. The first quarter 2004 10-Q was filed with the SEC earlier today.

Utah Medical Products, Inc., with particular interest in health care for women
and their babies, develops, manufactures, assembles and markets a broad range of
disposable and reusable specialty medical devices.