HUNTINGTON -- One of the few health-related strengths reported in West Virginia is its access to adequate prenatal care, but experts say problems like smoking, obesity and misinformation continue to plague the state's pregnant women.
Approximately 81 percent of pregnant women were reported as receiving adequate prenatal care in the state in 2007, according to the United Health Foundation.
Still, West Virginia has lots of problems, said Jeannie Clark, director of perinatal programs in West Virginia.
She said too many mothers-to-be smoke while pregnant or prefer the advice of a loved one over a medical professional.
"The grandmother tells them, 'Well, I smoked a pack a day, and my kids all turned out to be 10 pounds,' " she said.
Last year, the state Department of Health and Human Resources' Health Statistics Center reported more than a fourth of pregnant women in West Virginia smoked during pregnancy. It was the highest rate in the country.
Smoking while pregnant is directly related to low birthweight babies and infants who have problems after birth, said Nancy Tolliver, director of the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership.
From 2003 to 2005, low birthweight and infant mortality rates increased in West Virginia, according to West Virginia Kids Count.
Dr. Steven Brumfield said he was shocked when he started practicing locally and saw how many pregnant women smoked. He estimated one in four women he sees at United Health Professionals at St. Mary's Medical Center smoke. Many women he sees also are overweight, and both factors can seriously hurt infants and should be discussed early on.
Most obstetricians say they would like to see women before they even become pregnant so they can discuss the woman's health, said Dr. David Jude, residency program director of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Marshall University. Early visits also give doctors a chance to educate, screen for risks and start folic acid supplements.
"We really, really like to see them up front. Unfortunately, that does not happen a lot," Jude said.
Brumfield said women should make appointments as soon as they realize they're pregnant, and be seen within the first trimester.
"A lot of people have medical problems they don't realize can pose problems in pregnancy, like high blood pressure or thyroid problems," he said.
He said many doctor visits are spent correcting myths, like pregnant women shouldn't reach overhead or dye their hair.
"Probably the majority of the prenatal visit is spent answering questions and giving people realistic expectations," he said.
A lot of education also concerns breast feeding, which Brumfield says fewer local mothers do, despite its benefits.
Clark said more education also is needed to reinforce that parents shouldn't share beds with infants. Often this results in sudden infant death syndrome, she said.
Shaken baby syndrome and other maltreatment is also far too common, she said. This month a Charleston man was charged with child neglect causing death after his five-month-old son was left unattended in a bathtub for at least 20 minutes.
Clark said the perinatal program's Right from the Start project works to educate parents and give them resources so they can properly care for the infant and themselves. The project helps fund prenatal care for uninsured and underinsured women in an effort to get women to care during their first trimester. However, many mothers leave the program before it's over.
"West Virginia's culture is if you're not sick, you don't need to go to the doctor. Lots of times they will start with us, but they will drop out of the program," Clark said.
Experts say transportation is another issue that can hurt prenatal care. Residents in rural counties may have more difficulty getting to appointments in Huntington, for instance, Jude said. An estimated 250 maternal transports come from smaller hospitals to Cabell Huntington Hospital each year, he said.
Brumfield also sees patients from all over the region, including people from Lincoln, Putnam, Wayne and even Logan counties. While most people are able to keep appointments, high-risk patients may have a difficult time being seen more regularly.
"With gas prices at $4 a gallon when you're driving from Chapmanville once or twice a week, that adds up," he said.
Tolliver said many counties in the state have very little access to care, with some patients driving two hours for appointments. There are also fewer hospitals delivering babies in West Virginia, with more than 30 hospitals closing in 30 years.
"I'm worried we're going to see a decline in the percentage of women in the state that have early and appropriate prenatal care," she said.
7-day Archive
