Illinois pregnancy complications spike, Northwestern study finds

CHICAGO - A comprehensive study by Northwestern Medicine has revealed a concerning rise in pregnancy complications across Illinois.

Analyzing over 1 million pregnancies from 2016 to 2023, researchers found significant increases in maternal health issues, with vaginal birth complications rising by more than 22% and cesarean birth complications increasing by 48%.

Dr. Mugdha Mokashi, an OBGYN resident at Northwestern Medicine, emphasized that despite heightened awareness and interventions, maternal morbidity rates are climbing.

"Patients are getting sicker, and we have a higher rate of complications now than we did in the past among Illinois births," Mokashi said.

The study also exposed stark racial disparities. Non-Hispanic Black mothers experienced more than double the rate of complications compared to non-Hispanic white mothers, highlighting persistent inequities in maternal health care.

Chronic health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, mental health disorders, and obesity were closely linked to the uptick in complications. Researchers stressed the importance of addressing these issues before pregnancy and called for policies targeting poverty alleviation, perinatal health initiatives, and the reduction of racial disparities to improve outcomes.