People With Disabilities Account For 13% Of All Pregnancies, More Likely To Experience Complications

About 13% of pregnant people ages 15 to 49 have physical, sensory, developmental, or multiple disabilities, according to an analysis of data from Ontario, Canada. People with disabilities were more likely to experience pregnancy complications such as emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and preterm birth.

Emergency department visits for obstetric reasons in pregnancy were more common among females with disabilities, affecting 20% of those with a physical disability, 27% of those with a developmental disability, and 25% of those with multiple disabilities. Among females without disabilities, only 15% had an emergency department visit for obstetric reasons. Hospital admissions and mental health . . .