New Report Details Poor Infant And Maternal Health In W.Va.

A new report from the March of Dimes shows West Virginia’s already high preterm birth rate is rising.

West Virginia earned an “F” on its March of Dimes report card for infant and maternal health. 

The national percentage of preterm births (PTB) is 10.4 percent, while West Virginia’s rate is 13 percent.

The World Health Organization defines PTB as babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed.

Many factors can contribute to PTB including smoking, hypertension, unhealthy weight and diabetes.

The infant mortality rate in West Virginia increased in the last decade. Infant mortality is defined by the CDC as “the death of an infant before his or her first birthday.” In 2021, 117 babies died before their first birthday in West Virginia. 

The Medical Director of West Virginia University’s Neonatal ICU, Autumn Kiefer, said the report shows the state has more work to do to improve outcomes.

“I think there is a need for education of the community in general about things like what preterm labor looks like, what can be done in a healthcare setting to help treat and improve outcomes for moms that do experience preterm labor or have a history of preterm birth,” Kiefer said.

Outcomes are even worse for babies born to Black birthing people. The PTB rate for Black babies is 1.4 times higher than the rate among all other babies while the infant mortality rate among babies born to Black birthing people is 1.6 times higher than the state rate.

According to the report, from 2019 to 2021, the leading causes of infant death in West Virginia were birth defects, PTB or low birth weight (LBW) and maternal complications.

“Making sure that folks are aware that if they have that concern that they could be in preterm labor or if they’re not feeling well, and there’s different with the moms with preeclampsia, all kinds of reasons that they may need to deliver preterm,” Kiefer said. “It’s so important to get checked out because there are things that can be done for mom and baby that can improve the chances of a good outcome is born preterm.”

The primary causes of infant mortality include birth defects, preterm birth and low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, accidents and injuries, and maternal pregnancy complications, according to both the CDC and March of Dimes.

In West Virginia, unhealthy weight was reported in 42.9 percent of all births and smoking in 17.9 percent of all births.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, from 2018 to 2021, 25.4 per 100,000 births resulted in the death of the birth giver during the pregnancy or within six weeks after the pregnancy ends. 

The March of Dimes also reported that West Virginia also has inadequate prenatal care. According to the report, almost 13 percent of birthing people received care beginning in the fifth month or later, or less than 50 percent of the appropriate number of visits for the infant’s gestational age.

The March of Dimes concludes the report by listing policies and funding that would improve and sustain maternal and infant health care. West Virginia does not have paid family leave or a doula reimbursement policy. 

“The March of Dimes has suggestions of some additional legislation that can be helpful, based on current national information, like more options for paid family leave,” Kiefer said. “In general, having a new baby is a stressful experience and so having a family feel like they’re supported and have a means to bond with baby and have time to put things in place to get a good system going can help on the infant mortality side of things.”

The state’s expansion and extension of Medicaid scored well alongside a maternal mortality review committee, fetal and infant mortality review and a federal perinatal quality collaborative.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

W.Va. Has One Of The Highest Rates Of Premature Births In The Country

 

The rate of preterm births in the U.S. has risen over the past four years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A new report card from March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization that works to help mothers and babies in the United States, has given West Virginia an F grade in the percentage of live births that are premature. 

Nearly 12 percent of live births in West Virginia are premature. According to the March of Dimes 2019 report card, that’s two percent higher than the national average. The nation as a whole has an overall C rating for preterm births at 10 percent.

The report card analyzed data from 2018. 

The earlier a baby is born, the higher the risk of death or serious disability, according to the CDC. In 2017, preterm and low birth weights accounted for nearly 17 percent of infant deaths nationwide.

Kanawha County had the highest rate of premature births in West Virginia last year at 15 percent, according to the March of Dimes. In Monongalia County, the rate of premature births went down from 10.8 percent to 9.4 percent.

The analysis found the biggest disparities in premature births among racial lines. The report shows that premature births among black women in West Virginia were 22 percent higher than the rate among all other women in the state.

The average cost of a preterm birth in West Virginia is $52,000. 

March of Dimes recommends Medicaid coverage to be extended to include at least one year postpartum. Currently, it only covers 60 days after giving birth, according to the organization.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from Marshall Health and Charleston Area Medical Center.

Low Birth Weight Babies May Struggle With More Mental Health Problems

Low birth weight is traditionally associated with physical problems such as difficulty breathing, developmental delays or hearing problems in children as they grow. But new research published in the journal Psychological Bulletin found that babies born with extremely low birth weights are at an increased risk for specific mental health problems, including Attention Deficit Disorder, anxiety, depression and shyness, beginning in childhood and extending at least into their 30s.

Lead author Karen Mathewson believes these findings may be a biological response to conditions the infant faces both before and after birth.

However, she notes that while the risk for mental health conditions is increased with low birth weight babies, many will not develop mental disorders at all. For those who do, the effects can be moderate to severe.

Factors that contribute to low birth weight include smoking, drinking alcohol, poor weight gain in mother or a preterm birth – meaning a baby born before 37 weeks.

Almost 11 percent of babies born in West Virginia are born preterm. West Virginia also boasts the highest rate in the nation of mothers who smoke while pregnant.

The study took place over a 26-year period in 12 different countries, including the United States and Canada.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Benedum Foundation, Charleston Area Medical Center and WVU Medicine.

W.Va. 2014 Rate of Late Preterm Births at 9.1% in March of Dimes Report Card

West Virginia once again earns a “C” on the 2014 March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card.

This year, the rate of late preterm births in West Virginia is at 9.1%.

West Virginia’s preterm birth rate was 12.5% percent in 2013, down from 14% in 2006. The state has received a “C” again this year on its report card.

The national preterm birth rate fell to 11.4 percent in 2013 – the lowest in 17 years — meeting the federal Healthy People 2020 goal seven years early.  Despite this progress, the nation as a whole still received a “C” on its annual report card.  

The US has the highest rate of preterm birth of any high resource country.

West Virginia is part of a national trend toward improved preterm birth rates.

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