Adolescent Birth Rate

From 2018-2022, King County’s adolescent birth rate was 2.3 births per 1,000 female teens. The adolescent birth rate is defined as live births among females ages 15-17. Adolescent birthing people are at increased risk for pregnancy complications, and their children are more vulnerable to health complications. Teen pregnancy and childbearing bring significant economic and social costs through both immediate and long-term impacts. Preventing adolescent birth is crucial for reducing infant mortality and improving maternal health.   

• Race and ethnicity: The adolescent birth rates of Hispanic (7.1 per 1,000) and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (6.4 per 1,000) birthing people were greater than the overall King County rate.  

• Income: The adolescent birth rate in very high poverty neighborhoods (5.1 per 1,000) was higher than the King County average and all other neighborhoods (0.5-2.6 per 1,000).    

• Geography: The adolescent birth rate in South King County (3.7 per 1,000) was greater than the rate for overall King County.  

• Trends: The adolescent birth rate for 2020-2022 was 2.2 per 1,000 female teens, compared to 4.8 per 1,000 females in 2013-2015. Over this same time period, the rate also declined from 8.0 to 3.5 in South King County, 16.1 to 7.3 among Hispanic teens, and 6.5 to 2.6 among Black teens. Overall, King County’s adolescent birth rate continues to decrease over time.