Obesity Before Pregnancy: Rates By State

News
By published
A doctor checks a pregnant woman's heart rate with a stethoscope.
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops or is detected during pregnancy. (Image credit: Pregnancy photo via Shutterstock)

A new report looks at the percentage of women who were in 36 states and Washington D.C obese before becoming pregnant. The report uses information from birth certificates in 2011, which list how much the mother weighed when she became pregnant. Here are the rates by state, from lowest to highest:

Utah: 18.0 percent

District of Columbia: 20.3 percent

New York: 20.4 percent

Nevada; 21.1percent

California: 21.6 percent

Idaho: 21.7 percent

Florida: 21.8 percent

Wyoming: 22.1 percent

New Hampshire: 22.6 percent

Montana: 22.9 percent

Pennsylvania: 22.9 percent

South Dakota: 23.2 percent

Vermont: 23.2 percent

Texas: 23.3 percent

Oregon: 23.4 percent

Nebraska: 23.5 percent

Kansas: 23.7 percent

Maryland: 23.7 percent

Illinois: 24.1 percent

Tennessee: 24.3 percent

Missouri: 24.4 percent

North Carolina: 24.4 percent

Delaware: 24.7 percent

Washington: 24.7 percent

Iowa: 24.8 percent

New Mexico: 24.8 percent

Ohio: 24.8 percent

Oklahoma: 25.4 percent

Indiana: 25.7 percent

Michigan: 25.9 percent

Louisiana: 27.2 percent

Georgia: 27.3 percent

Kentucky: 27.4 percent

Wisconsin 27.8 percent

North Dakota: 28.5 percent

South Carolina: 28.6 percent

LiveScience Staff
LiveScience Staff
For the science geek in everyone, Live Science offers a fascinating window into the natural and technological world, delivering comprehensive and compelling news and analysis on everything from dinosaur discoveries, archaeological finds and amazing animals to health, innovation and wearable technology. We aim to empower and inspire our readers with the tools needed to understand the world and appreciate its everyday awe.