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Print This PageSeattle, WA
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What's Good
- Relative to population, Seattle has more specialty retailers of healthy/organic foods and vitamins than most places in our survey.
- Seattle is in close proximity to Evergreen Hospital Medical Center in Kirkland, Washington which is recognized as a Baby-Friendly Hospital by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for supporting breastfeeding.
- Compared to the number of babies born, Seattle has 86 percent more lactation consultants than average. That's the highest ratio in our survey.
- State laws require stringent background checks for day-care workers.
- Once Seattle mothers begin breastfeeding, they are 25 percent more likely than average to continue through 6 months. That's the highest level of follow-through of any city in our report.
- According to data from the CDC, maternal mortality in Washington is especially low.
- By six months of age, 44 percent of Seattle babies are still being breastfed. That's the 2nd highest percentage of any city in our report.
- Relative to the number of live births per year, Seattle has 240 percent more doulas than average--that figure is the 2nd highest in our survey.
- Midwifery is more widely available than most cities.
- Babies here are 25 percent less likely than average to be born prematurely.
- 23.9 percent of Seattle mothers breastfeed their babies exclusively (meaning no solids, formula or other liquids) for 6 months or longer as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. That's among the top 4 percent of cities in our survey.
- Seattle babies are 24 percent less likely than average to be born with low birth weight.
- Expecting and new moms have plenty of parks: Seattle has 94 percent more public parks than average, relative to population.
Needs Improvement
- Seattle has a 36 percent higher property crime rate than average, the 3rd highest in our survey.
- State laws do not require health insurance companies to provide or offer any fertility-related services.
- Seattle has relatively few NICU beds, 42 percent less than average, 11th lowest in our survey.
- Air quality here is worse here than most cities in our survey. Air quality has been linked to childhood asthma and fertility rates, among other health effects.
