Am J Public Health. 2026 Apr;116(4):512-521. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2025.308359.
ABSTRACT
Objectives. To examine differences in the prevalence of gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension by maternal nativity and country of birth among Hispanic mothers in Florida. Methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 1 130 250 births from Florida birth certificate data between 2004 and 2022. We compared Hispanic maternal health outcomes by nativity (US-born vs foreign-born) and country of birth using descriptive statistics and nested log-binomial regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic covariates. Results. Foreign-born Hispanic mothers had a higher prevalence of gestational diabetes (5.3%) but lower rates of gestational hypertension (4.3%) than did US-born mothers (4.7% and 5.3%, respectively). Foreign-born mothers from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua had significantly lower adjusted risks for gestational diabetes. Gestational hypertension risk was also lower for most foreign-born groups. However, foreign-born Puerto Rican and Cuban mothers had elevated risks for gestational diabetes compared with their US-born counterparts. Conclusions. Maternal health risks vary substantially in the Hispanic population by nativity and heritage, underscoring the need to disaggregate data to identify disparities. Public Health Implications. Policies and interventions should account for subgroup-specific risks to effectively address maternal health inequities in Hispanic communities. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(4):512-521. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308359).
PMID:41812123 | DOI:10.2105/AJPH.2025.308359
