County Profiles, Birth and Unintended Pregnancy Statistics 1990 to 2002

This report, the fourth of its series, presents birth and unintended pregnancy statistics for each of the 39 counties in Washington State. Data include demographic and pregnancy related indicators obtained from vital statistics, Medicaid administrative records, and survey data collected on a sample of women giving birth. Trends over time and similarities and differences among four groups of counties are provided. Data indicate that over the past ten years, the number of births in Washington State has remained stable, 79,644 in 1990-1992 compared to 79,813 in 2000-2002. The proportion of births with Medicaid-paid maternity care increased from 36.1% to 43.1% during the same time period. Much of this increase occurred between 1989 and 1993 and is attributable to the expansion of Medicaid eligibility and improved prenatal access through the First Steps program. Medicaid births to non-citizens, which increased from 1,765 in 1990-92 to 6,160 in 2000-02, also contributed to the rise in the proportion of Medicaid births. Since 1993, the proportion of Medicaid-funded births has been stable, with an increasing proportion of births to non-citizens.