Fact: One in 16 women hospitalized for childbirth has diabetes

One in 16 women hospitalized for childbirth has diabetes: More than a quarter million women who gave birth in U.S. hospitals in 2008 had pre-existing diabetes or developed it during their pregnancy. The federal agency also found that in 2008, the 35,500 women with pre-existing diabetes and the 232,300 with gestational diabetes who delivered during their stay were much more likely to undergo cesarean section surgery) than women giving birth who did not have diabetes. In total, the cost for all pregnant women with diabetes, whether hospitalized for childbirth or for pregnancy-related problems, was more than $1.4 billion or 8.5% of all maternal hospitalization costs. Hospitalizations Related to Diabetes in Pregnancy, 2008