Prevalence of pre-pregnancy obesity, 2011-2014

Importance: Obesity before and during pregnancy increases risk among mothers for poor health outcomes, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Objective: To describe trends in pre-pregnancy obesity rates among women in Wisconsin. Methods: Cross-sectional data from Wisconsin birth certificates were analyzed. Prevalence of pre-pregnancy obesity (defined as body mass index ≥ 30) among Wisconsin women who gave birth from 2011 through 2014 was compared across demographic and geographic dimensions. Results: Overall, 27.8% of Wisconsin women who gave birth during 2011-2014 were obese. Obesity rates were highest among 40-to 44-year-old women (31.8%), women with a high school/ GED diploma (32.8 %), American Indian/Alaska Native women (43.9%), and women with 5 or more pregnancies (35.4%). Obesity rates varied by county of residence (highest in Forest County, 45.2%) and city of residence (highest in the city of Racine, 34.8%). Conclusions: There are significant socioeconomic, racial, and geographic disparities in pre-pregnancy obesity among women who give birth in Wisconsin.