Among pregnant women, mental health disorders increased 52.9% and substance use disorders grew 8% between 2020 and 2023, FAIR Health found. The organization is a nonprofit that runs the nation’s largest database of privately billed health insurance claims, according to its website.
FAIR Health’s white paper, “Giving Birth in the United States: A Study of Commercial Claims,” pulled from a database of more than 47 billion commercial healthcare claim records. Between 2020 and 2023, the report found a 52.9% increase in mental health disorders and an 8% growth in substance use disorders among pregnant women.
Other findings to know:
- The average age of mothers at delivery rose 1%, from 31.4 in 2020 to 31.7 in 2023.
- The most common potential complication for pregnancy and delivery in 2023 was obesity, which occurred in 19.7% of deliveries.
- Vaginal deliveries, which fell 1.8% from 2020 to 2023, outnumbered C-sections by about 2 to 1 nationally, with significant regional variation.
- The cost of giving birth increased significantly as age increased. Compared to the 35-39 age group, costs were 12% to 14% higher for the 40-44 age group.
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