Healthy Women: Pregnancy trends in Colorado after COVID-19

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Southern Colorado continues to grow in population. And even though the birth rate in the state is behind the national average, 61,000 babies were born in Colorado last year. That being said, we explore pregnancy trends and risks post-pandemic.

Most expecting moms and their babies don't feel the impacts of Colorado's higher altitude.

"There aren't any specific studies that really suggest that altitude can harm the baby depending on where you live," says Dr. Toby Genrich, an OBGYN at Centura Health. "Anecdotally though in Colorado Springs we do see some oxygen sometimes with babies that are smaller, but because you have a baby or are living here in Colorado Springs does not put you at risk for those things to happen."

However, Dr. Genrich says recreational marijuana sales have changed how they treat patients.

"It is very common these days and so we really counsel patients about the use of marijuana specifically and how it may impact the development of their baby," says Dr. Genrich.

And tobacco can be just as dangerous, even if the pregnant women aren't the ones smoking it.

"Secondhand smoke is just as dangerous as someone who is primarily smoking and so the carcinogens and the other things that affect smokers can also affect the development of a fetus," says Dr. Gerich.

Dr. Genrich delivered 340 babies last year. And he says more and more people are choosing to move here and raise a family. A positive for the economy, but changes the industry.

"Colorado Springs and southern Colorado are growing significantly and we are actually seeing all kinds of people moving in and out of the state and coming in with different risk factors and other things as far as getting that pre-natal care other places so it has become challenging for us to take care of the booming community," says Dr. Genrich.