For Black Pregnant People, Gestational Diabetes Is Yet Another Hurdle

It’s been widely reported that Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications than white women. And recent surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that maternal mortality among Black women increased by 26 percent between 2019 and 2020. Black maternal health must remain top-of-mind, and Black Maternal Health Week provides an opportunity to elevate conversations among advocates and discuss disparities that persist. So this year, it’s time to talk about gestational diabetes.

Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes impacts the body’s ability to use glucose. A 2019 year study published by the CDC studied 765 women from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and found that non-Hispanic Black women and Hispanic women are at greater risk.

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