U.S. women of reproductive age have modifiable birth defect risks

Two-thirds of women of reproductive age in the United States have at least one modifiable risk factor linked to birth defects, according to an analysis of nationally representative health data spanning 2007 to early 2020. The study found that obesity, diabetes, tobacco exposure, food insecurity and low folate status are the most common, changeable factors and that the share of women with multiple risk factors has edged upward over time. Experts say the findings underscore the importance of preconception care and population-level public health efforts to reduce birth defects and improve pregnancy outcomes.

Among more than 5,000 nonpregnant women aged 12 to 49, about 66.4% had one or more modifiable risk factors, with the proportion rising from 65.3% in 2007–2010 to 69.5% in 2015–2020. Three or more risk factors were present in 10.4% of the participants. When broken down by factor, roughly one-third had obesity, about one in five had suboptimal red blood cell folate levels, nearly one in five had smoking exposure, and around 6.7% reported very low food security. Diabetes affected about 4.8% of the group. The researchers emphasize that these factors can influence the pathways...