Nausea and vomiting affect 84 percent of pregnancies. Gestational diabetes occurs in about one in twelve pregnancies. Data on maternal mortality rates, cesarean deliveries, and prenatal screening show variation in outcomes across regions.
Key Takeaways
- 84% of women experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (about 7 in 8 pregnancies).
- 2.7% of babies are born with congenital anomalies worldwide (estimated prevalence).
- 1 in 12 pregnant women (about 8.3%) have gestational diabetes.
- WHO estimates 1 in 10 maternal deaths are due to bleeding (share assigned to postpartum hemorrhage).
- Globally, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy account for ~14% of maternal deaths (share).
- In the U.S., the maternal mortality rate was 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021 (maternal mortality ratio).
- WHO recommends at least 4 antenatal care visits (ANC) during pregnancy for routine care.
- In the U.S., 1.0% of births were born preterm in 2022 (preterm birth rate).
- In the U.S., 32.5% of births were delivered by Cesarean section in 2022 (C-section rate).
- Prenatal screening via NIPT is used in many countries; in the U.S. and Canada, cfDNA screening adoption is about 90% in some reporting years (NIPT adoption share).
- A systematic review estimated cell-free DNA screening for trisomy 21 has about 99% specificity (diagnostic specificity).
- In a large meta-analysis, invasive diagnostic testing (CVS/amnio) after positive screening confirms chromosomal anomalies at a measurable rate of about 9% for major aneuploidies among screened positives (confirmation rate).
- In the U.S., there were 3.66 million births in 2022 (annual births).
- In the U.S., 1.2% of pregnant women report smoking during pregnancy (current smoking prevalence).
- In the U.S., 3.4% of pregnant women reported use of marijuana in pregnancy (self-reported).
Most pregnancies include common symptoms, yet major risks like gestational diabetes and maternal mortality remain important.
Related reading
01 · Category
Maternal Health Outcomes6 stats
01
WHO estimates 1 in 10 maternal deaths are due to bleeding (share assigned to postpartum hemorrhage).
02
Globally, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy account for ~14% of maternal deaths (share).
03
In the U.S., the maternal mortality rate was 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021 (maternal mortality ratio).
04
In the U.S., the maternal mortality rate decreased to 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022 (maternal mortality ratio).
05
In the U.S., 28.6% of maternal deaths involved mental health conditions or suicide-related mechanisms (percentage).
06
In the U.S., 8.7% of maternal deaths involved COVID-19 as a contributing factor (percentage).
Interpretation
Maternal Health Outcomes Interpretation
From a Maternal Health Outcomes perspective, the U.S. maternal mortality rate fell from 23.8 to 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2021 and 2022, yet substantial risks remain concentrated in major causes like postpartum hemorrhage at 1 in 10 maternal deaths worldwide and hypertensive disorders at about 14%, along with significant roles for mental health at 28.6% and COVID-19 at 8.7% in U.S. maternal deaths.
02 · Category
Care Coverage & Access5 stats
01
WHO recommends at least 4 antenatal care visits (ANC) during pregnancy for routine care.
02
In the U.S., 1.0% of births were born preterm in 2022 (preterm birth rate).
03
In the U.S., 32.5% of births were delivered by Cesarean section in 2022 (C-section rate).
04
In the U.S., 30.2% of births were delivered by Cesarean section in 2021 (C-section rate).
05
In the U.S., 33.1 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 occurred in 2023 (abortion incidence rate).
Interpretation
Care Coverage & Access Interpretation
While WHO guidance calls for at least 4 antenatal visits, in the U.S. just 1.0% of births were preterm in 2022 alongside high C section rates of 32.5% in 2022 and 30.2% in 2021, showing that access to pregnancy care does not necessarily translate into less intensive delivery practices.
03 · Category
Prenatal Testing & Diagnostics4 stats
01
Prenatal screening via NIPT is used in many countries; in the U.S. and Canada, cfDNA screening adoption is about 90% in some reporting years (NIPT adoption share).
02
A systematic review estimated cell-free DNA screening for trisomy 21 has about 99% specificity (diagnostic specificity).
03
In a large meta-analysis, invasive diagnostic testing (CVS/amnio) after positive screening confirms chromosomal anomalies at a measurable rate of about 9% for major aneuploidies among screened positives (confirmation rate).
04
In the U.S., severe obesity prevalence among women of reproductive age was 9.8% in 2017–2018 (percentage).
Interpretation
Prenatal Testing & Diagnostics Interpretation
Across prenatal testing and diagnostics, NIPT has been widely adopted with cfDNA screening reaching about 90% in the U.S. and Canada, and it delivers very high performance with around 99% specificity for trisomy 21, supporting its growing role in identifying pregnancies that may need confirmatory invasive testing.
More related reading
04 · Category
Behavioral Risk Factors4 stats
01
In the U.S., 1.2% of pregnant women report smoking during pregnancy (current smoking prevalence).
02
In the U.S., 3.4% of pregnant women reported use of marijuana in pregnancy (self-reported).
03
In the U.S., 7.0% of pregnant women reported opioid use during pregnancy (percentage).
04
In the U.S., 1.6% of women had gestational diabetes in the 2020–2022 period (percentage).
Interpretation
Behavioral Risk Factors Interpretation
Behavioral risk factors in pregnancy appear relatively uncommon for smoking at 1.2%, but substance use is more prevalent with 3.4% using marijuana and 7.0% reporting opioid use, while metabolic risk like gestational diabetes affects 1.6%, showing that the biggest concern within this behavioral framing is opioid use rather than smoking.
05 · Category
Medical Epidemiology3 stats
01
84% of women experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (about 7 in 8 pregnancies).
02
2.7% of babies are born with congenital anomalies worldwide (estimated prevalence).
03
1 in 12 pregnant women (about 8.3%) have gestational diabetes.
Interpretation
Medical Epidemiology Interpretation
From a medical epidemiology perspective, nausea and vomiting affects about 84% of pregnancies while gestational diabetes occurs in roughly 8.3% and congenital anomalies affect 2.7% worldwide, showing a steep drop from common pregnancy symptoms to much rarer adverse outcomes.
06 · Category
Industry Overview7 stats
01
18.2% of U.S. births in 2022 were reported as being delivered after 41 weeks of gestation (post-term)
02
1.1% of live births in the U.S. in 2022 were to mothers with placental abruption
03
52% of U.S. pregnant people reported receiving a glucose test (screening for gestational diabetes) in 2021
04
56% of pregnant patients in a large U.S. cohort received a depression screening during pregnancy
05
In the U.S., there were 3.66 million births in 2022 (annual births).
06
1.9% of pregnant people in the U.S. reported opioid use during pregnancy in 2021
07
18% of U.S. pregnant people reported receiving postpartum depression screening (within 6 weeks postpartum) in 2021
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Across the U.S. pregnancy industry, nearly one in five births occurred after 41 weeks in 2022 and most key screenings and exposures were common, with 52% receiving glucose testing and 56% getting depression screening, while opioid use affected 1.9% of pregnancies.
report visual · Breakdown
Key maternal health risk factors
Across major causes and comorbidities, bleeding and hypertensive disorders are leading contributors to maternal deaths, alongside notable mental health–related factors.
1%
In the U.S., 1.0% of births were born preterm in 2022 (preterm birth rate).
99%
A systematic review estimated cell-free DNA screening for trisomy 21 has about 99% specificity (diagnostic specificity).
source-verifiedcdc.gov · pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov2022
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Priya Chandrasekaran. (2026, February 13). Pregnancy Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pregnancy-statistics
MLA
Priya Chandrasekaran. "Pregnancy Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/pregnancy-statistics.
Chicago
Priya Chandrasekaran. 2026. "Pregnancy Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pregnancy-statistics.
Sources & references
29 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+21 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)