Adolescent Birth Rate

From 2019-2023, King County’s adolescent birth rate was 2.2 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. Preventing adolescent birth is crucial for reducing infant mortality and improving maternal health.   

• Race and ethnicity: The adolescent birth rates of Hispanic (6.6 per 1,000) and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (5.5 per 1,000) teens were higher than those of other groups.  

• Income: The adolescent birth rate in very high poverty neighborhoods (5.3 per 1,000) was higher than all other neighborhoods (0.6-2.4 per 1,000).    

• Geography: The adolescent birth rate in South King County (3.8 per 1,000) was greater than the rates for other regions.   

• Trends: The adolescent birth rate for 2021-2023 was 2.1 per 1,000 female teens, compared to 4.0 per 1,000 females in 2014-2016. Over this same time period, the rate also declined from 6.8 to 3.8 in South King County, 13.2 to 6.8 among Hispanic teens, and 6.1 to 2.5 among Black teens. Overall, King County’s adolescent birth rate continues to decrease over time.