Diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure) are significant sources of maternal illness and death. Pregnant women with pre-existing or gestational diabetes or pre-existing or gestational hypertension disorders have increased risk of developing adverse outcomes in pregnancy.
Please note that data collection methods for diabetes and hypertension vary across states and territories, and data exclude Victoria.
Diabetes
Diabetes affecting pregnancy can be pre-existing (that is, type 1 or type 2) or may arise because of the pregnancy (gestational diabetes) (AIHW 2019). It can have short-term and long-term implications for both mothers and their babies and the type and severity of complications may differ according to type of diabetes experienced in pregnancy (AIHW 2019).
Monitoring diabetes during pregnancy is important as it provides information on the impact of diabetes during pregnancy and its complications, identifies groups at higher risk and assists with the planning, monitoring and provision of services (AIHW 2019).
Since 2014, the proportion of women with gestational diabetes has been increasing (8.3% in 2014 compared with 14.3% in 2020).
The data visualisation below presents data on the diabetes status of women who gave birth, by selected maternal characteristics, for 2020. Click the trend button to see how data has changed over a 7-year period.