Reports says Santa Cruz County's teen birth rate at historic low

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- The teen birth rate in Santa Cruz County is at a historic low, according to a report released Thursday by the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency.

Only 4.9 percent of births in the county were to mothers 19 years old and younger and no children were born to girls 15 years old and under.

In all, 138 births were to teen mothers in 2015, about half of the number in 2011, according to the 2015 Santa Cruz County Birth Report.

The county data reflect state and national trends, which health officials have attributed to contraception, greater access to pregnancy prevention and a decline in the number of teens having sex.

The teen birth rate in Santa Cruz County is 14.9 per 1,000 women. nationwide that number is 22.3 per 1,000 women.

The full report is available by clicking here.