From The Charleston Gazette: “Four years ago, Mary Brown held a drug-addicted infant in her arms for the first time while volunteering at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Afterward, she asked herself what she was doing with her life and decided to devote herself to a mission: helping newborns who are addicted to drugs. On Saturday, Brown hosted community members at Lily’s … Read More
Education Essential to Cutting Drug Use In Pregnancy
From The Charleston Gazette: “Education is key to reversing the state’s growing problem of drug use among pregnant women, a state advocate for healthy childbirth said Wednesday. “I think a lot of it has to do with education,” said Sandy Young, a member of the Drug Use in Pregnancy committee of the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership. “We educate the communities, … Read More
Research Finds Smoking As Risky As Alcohol, Drugs During Pregnancy
From The Charleston Gazette: “Getting pregnant women to stop smoking is just as important as getting them to stop using alcohol and illicit drugs, a researcher and psychologist told health-care providers Friday morning. Beth Bailey, a psychologist who serves as program director for the Tennessee Intervention for Pregnant Smokers, said doctors sometimes tend to prioritize having pregnant women stop using … Read More
The Benedum Foundation Awards West Virginia Perinatal Partnership Grant
From the Charleston Daily Mail: “The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation is helping, once again, to improve the lives of babies in West Virginia. The Benedum Foundation has awarded the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership a grant to improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care of babies born to mothers addicted to drugs during pregnancy. The grant will help care for babies … Read More
Judge Throws Out Lawsuit Against Charleston Abortion Clinic
From the Charleston Gazette: “A Kanawha County judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed in 2013 by a woman who claimed her abortion was botched at a clinic on Charleston’s West Side. Kanawha Circuit Judge Joanna Tabit entered an order Monday dismissing the lawsuit filed by the Family Policy Council of West Virginia on behalf of Itai Gravely. The judge … Read More
Pain medications and pregnancy
Several new reports examine the use of opioids and other pain medications by women of reproductive age and the risks such medications have on pregnancy. Opioid Prescription Claims Among Women of Reproductive Age — United States, 2008-2012 FDA reviews risks of pain meds during pregnancy-2012 Painkiller-addicted babies a painful, costly problem
WCHS-TV: Protecting Drug Exposed Babies
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — In a special report on mothers exposing their unborn children to harmful drugs, Eyewitness News takes a look at what is becoming an epidemic in our state. West Virginia ranks at the top when it comes to drug exposed babies. The exact numbers are difficult to pinpoint, but a study four years ago estimated 20 percent of … Read More
Awards Presented to 27 Hospitals at Perinatal Summit
For Immediate Release: Contact: Amy N. Tolliver, MS Director, West Virginia Perinatal Partnership (304) 558-0530, Ext. 5 or atolliver@wvperinatal (Charleston, WV) The West Virginia Perinatal Partnership presented 27 birthing hospitals in the state with awards for their work to advance perinatal care in seven initiatives of the Partnership. The Partnership honored the hospitals on November 6 during the West … Read More
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Training Now Available Online
The West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services has announced that the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Training for Adults and Adolescents, Part A is now available online. The mission of the West Virginia Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training program is to ensure that all victims of sexual assault receive quality patient care and comprehensive medical forensic examination by trained medical … Read More
W.Va. urges safe sleep habits for babies
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin is placing a special emphasis on keeping babies safe while sleeping. Tomblin and first lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin have proclaimed September as “Infant Safe Sleep Month” as part of a statewide educational campaign. Read the full story »