Gestational diabetes affects about 8.3% of all pregnancies in the United States, or roughly 1 in 12 births. That number has risen sharply in recent years, up from 6% just five years earlier in 2016. Whether you’re planning a pregnancy or already expecting, understanding how common this condition is, who it affects most, and when you’ll be screened can help you feel more prepared.
U.S. Rates Are Rising Fast
Between 2016 and 2021, the percentage of mothers diagnosed with gestational diabetes jumped from 6.0% to 8.3%, according to CDC vital statistics data. That’s a nearly 40% increase in just five years. The rise appeared across every age group, not just in populations traditionally considered high risk.
Several factors likely contribute. More people are becoming pregnant at older ages, and rates of overweight and obesity before pregnancy have climbed steadily. Changes in screening practices and diagnostic thresholds also play a role, catching cases that might have been missed in earlier years. Regardless of the cause, the trend means gestational diabetes is no longer a niche diagnosis. It’s one of the most common complications of pregnancy.
Age Is the Strongest Risk Factor
Your age at the time of pregnancy has a dramatic effect on your likelihood of developing gestational diabetes. In 2021, the rate among mothers under 20 was just 2.7%. For mothers aged 40 and older, it was 15.6%, nearly six times higher.
A large meta-analysis covering over 120 million pregnancies put more precise numbers on this relationship. Compared to women aged 25 to 29, women aged 35 to 39 had roughly 3.5 times the odds of gestational diabetes, and women 40 and older had nearly 5 times the odds. For every single year of age beyond 18, the overall risk increased by about 8%. That effect was even steeper for Asian women, at roughly 13% per year of age, and slightly lower for women of European descent, at about 6.5% per year.
This doesn’t mean younger women are in the clear. Gestational diabetes occurs at every age. But if you’re over 35, your provider will likely be especially attentive to your glucose screening results.
Rates Vary Significantly by Ethnicity
Not all populations are affected equally. In 2019, the rate of gestational diabetes at first live birth broke down like this:
- Asian/Pacific Islander: about 103 per 1,000 births (roughly 1 in 10)
- Hispanic/Latina: about 67 per 1,000 births (roughly 1 in 15)
- White: about 58 per 1,000 births (roughly 1 in 17)
- Black: about 56 per 1,000 births (roughly 1 in 18)
Asian and Pacific Islander women face the highest rates by a significant margin, nearly double the rate seen in Black and White women. The reasons are complex and involve differences in how the body processes insulin, body composition patterns that standard BMI measurements don’t always capture, and genetic predisposition. These disparities matter because they influence who gets screened early and how aggressively providers monitor blood sugar during pregnancy.
When You’ll Be Screened
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening all pregnant people for gestational diabetes at 24 weeks of gestation or after, with most testing happening before 28 weeks. This is the standard glucose screening test you’ve probably heard about: drinking a sugary solution, then having your blood drawn to see how your body handles the sugar load.
If you have risk factors for type 2 diabetes, such as obesity, a family history of diabetes, or a previous pregnancy where the baby was unusually large, your provider may screen you earlier than 24 weeks. There isn’t strong evidence yet on whether early screening improves outcomes for everyone, so the decision to test before 24 weeks is made on a case-by-case basis. If you enter prenatal care after 28 weeks, you’ll still be screened at your first opportunity.
What These Numbers Mean for You
With nearly 1 in 12 pregnancies now affected, gestational diabetes is common enough that it should be on every expectant parent’s radar. It’s also highly manageable when caught. Most people control it through dietary changes and physical activity, and blood sugar typically returns to normal after delivery. The condition does, however, increase your long-term risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, so it’s worth paying attention to your glucose health in the years following pregnancy as well.
If you’re in a higher-risk group, whether because of age, ethnicity, weight, or family history, that doesn’t guarantee a diagnosis. It simply means the odds are higher, and early, consistent prenatal care gives you the best chance of catching and managing it if it develops.