An increasing number of women are experiencing pregnancy complications and childbirth complications, according to an analysis of Blue Cross Blue Shield data.
BCBS examined data from 1.8 million pregnancies between 2014 and 2018 among commercially insured women 18-44 years old. While the average age of pregnancy increased from 30.6 to 31 years, childbirth complications did not increase with age.
The analysis found that from 2015-18, hypertension in women prior to pregnancy experienced jumped 31 percent; Type 2 diabetes rose 28 percent; and diagnosed obesity increased by 100 percent. For the same time period, major depression increased 35 percent, while anxiety rose 23 percent and substance use disorder rose 24 percent.
The number of women who experienced both pregnancy complications and childbirth complications increased 31.5 percent.