Associated with: increased rate of maternal morbidities: seizures, stroke, kidney injury, increased SGA and PTB <34 weeks, and increased perinatal deaths.

• Sadly, pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) contributes to 14% of all maternal deaths. This highlights how crucial it is to monitor blood pressure and manage any elevations proactively and effectively.

• Non-Hispanic Black women face a higher risk of developing gestational hypertensive diseases, emphasizing the need for attentive care and potential preventative measures within this population.

• In the US, gestational hypertensive disorders affect roughly 3-14% of pregnancies. This range reflects variations in risk factors and healthcare access across different communities.

• Hopeful Interventions: Programs like GrowBaby Health have demonstrated remarkable success in reducing gestational hypertensive disorder rates to <1%, offering a beacon of hope and a model for preventative care.

Stress is a part of life, yet left unmanaged & without proper support it is associated with adverse outcomes in both mother & baby.

Many women and mothers have experienced past traumas (ACEs) in their childhood and upbringing. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common. In fact, women are 50% more likely than men to have a >5 ACES score. Yet, often there are no solutions given for HOW to manage this history. GrowBaby Health addresses this aspect of a mother’s history from the very beginning of their care.

High ACEs associated with: preterm birth, obesity, heart disease, depression, suicide, drug and alcohol abuse

Postpartum Anxiety/Depression (PPD) is associated with: preterm birth and small for gestational age. PPD affects 15-20% of all pregnancies, but it can often start in pregnancy.

Being born small for gestational age (SGA) means a baby's birth weight is lower than expected for their gestational age. This can have lasting impacts on their health and development:

• Metabolic Concerns: SGA babies are at a higher risk of developing conditions like unhealthy cholesterol levels (dyslipidemias), high blood pressure (hypertension), unhealthy body fat distribution, and type 2 diabetes later in life.

• Developmental Challenges: SGA can also impact a child's development, and may have association with learning delays and lower test scores in early childhood.

• Short and Long-Term Risks: It's important to understand that SGA is linked to an increased risk of both immediate and long-term health problems, requiring careful monitoring and support.

• Prevalence in the US: In the United States, approximately 11% of babies are born SGA, highlighting the significance of this issue.

• Hopeful Interventions: Programs like GrowBaby Health have demonstrated remarkable success in reducing small for gestational age rates to 1.5%, offering a beacon of hope and a model for preventative care.

Babies born large for gestational age (LGA) have a birth weight higher than expected for their gestational age. While it might seem like a good thing for a baby to be bigger, LGA is actually associated with some potential health concerns:

• Increased Risk of Health Issues: LGA babies have a higher risk of developing conditions like asthma, diabetes, becoming overweight or obese, metabolic syndrome, and even certain cancers like breast and colorectal cancer later in life.

• Maternal Body Composition as a Key Factor: Interestingly, a mother's weight (>BMI) before and during pregnancy plays a significant role. Elevated maternal BMI is a stronger predictor of LGA infants than high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) during pregnancy.

• Growing Concern - close to half of the overall adult U.S. population will have obesity and about a quarter will have severe obesity by 2030. Since body composition and fetal weight are correlated, the prevalence of LGA babies is likely to increase, raising concerns about long-term health outcomes.

• Current Rates: In the US, the rate of LGA births is currently 12.3%, highlighting the importance of addressing this growing trend.