Maternal Risk Factors

Since 1989, diabetes and hypertension have been the most commonly reported health conditions among pregnant women. Diabetes, both chronic and gestational (developing only during pregnancy), may pose health risks to a woman and her baby. Women with gestational diabetes are at increased risk for developing diabetes later in life.1In 2007, diabetes of any type during pregnancy occurred at a rate of 44.8 per 1,000 live births. This varied by race and ethnicity; Hispanic mothers were more likely to have had diabetes (46.1 per 1,000 live births) than non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks (42.3 and 38.9 per 1,000, respectively).

Hypertension during pregnancy can also be either chronic in nature or gestational. Severe hypertension during pregnancy can result in preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, premature birth, placental abruption, and stillbirth.2 Chronic hypertension was present in 11.0 per 1,000 live births in 2007 and occurred most often among non-Hispanic Black women (21.6 per 1,000). The rate of pregnancy-associated hypertension was 38.8 per 1,000 live births and was more common among non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White women (46.2 and 43.6 per 1,000 births) than among Hispanic women (27.5 per 1,000 births).