Maternal Drug Use
The
use of illicit and legal drugs and alcohol among pregnant women
has been reported as a major factor in West Virginia's poor newborn
outcomes. The increase in the number of chemically-dependent babies
presents a cost to society. The Perinatal Partnership has identified
the problem in detail and made policy recommendations for the treatment of
both pregnant women and newborns. This information is contained in the
Reports on the Blueprint to Improve Perinatal Health, and the partners
are working now to implement the recommendations.
Read the most recent report of our subcommittee charged with drafting of medical guidelines for obstetrical providers to use statewide for identifying and treating drug use during early pregnancy.
Maternal Smoking
The
problem of maternal smoking offers a challenge to all involved in perinatal
health care. The prospect of a good birth outcome for a pregnant smoker is
much dimmer compared to that of a pregnant non-smoker. On June 19, 2007 the
West Virginia Perinatal Partnership sponsored a newly completed presentation
on the maternal smoking in West Virginia. You may hear and view the
presentation and the discussion
here.
The following supporting material was made available at
the presentation:
Maternal Smoking in West Virginia, 1996-2005: A Hypothetical Assessment of Its Impact on Infant Health by Daniel M. Christy, MPA (Power Point Presentation)
Health Statistics Center Statistical Brief No. 4 Update: Smoking: Effects on Mothers and Babies in West Virginia (MS Word Document)
Table: West Virginia Births 2004-06; Maternal Smoking vs. Non-smoking and Average Birth Weight (Excel Spreadsheet)
West Virginia Division of Tobacco Prevention's (DTP) 2007 Annual Progress Report (External Link)