NC West Virginia News

At a time when the number of teenage pregnancies in West Virginia remains higher than the national average, researchers at West Virginia University have discovered that infants born to teen mothers in the state tend to have lower birth weights and are smaller for their gestational ages compared to those born to adult mothers.

“We used the most current data and the findings underscore a significant issue in the state,” stated Amna Umer, associate professor in the WVU School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. She highlighted that “the risk of teen birth is multifactorial” and emphasized the importance of social, geographical, and educational factors. Umer suggests these insights could aid policymakers in expanding comprehensive, evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention education and improving access to birth control for at-risk teens.

The study utilized data from 2018 to 2023 provided by Project Watch, which gathers information on all births at West Virginia hospitals. Out of 86,447 live births during this period, 5,310 (or 6.15%) were attributed to teenage mothers. In contrast, the national figure for teen births was reported as 1.36% in 2022. The research identified rural counties as having higher percentages of teen births, with Pendleton County reporting a rate more than double at 14.38%. Other counties such as Boone, Mercer, and Hardy also had rates of 10% or higher.

Rylee Childers, a third-year medical student from Morgantown and corresponding author of the study, noted that “teenage mothers are a vulnerable population” with limited research available on those living in rural areas. She explained that geographic barriers to healthcare access and lack of transportation contribute to fewer prenatal visits among teens.

Childers pointed out that some individuals in rural areas may need to travel three to four hours for obstetric care. Additionally, many teenage mothers cannot drive yet, necessitating an adult’s assistance which can be challenging if they hold multiple jobs.

The study indicates that since most teen pregnancies are unintended, healthcare providers could significantly impact contraception counseling and healthcare navigation for this demographic.

“I really hope the study starts a conversation about rural health care as a whole,” said Childers.

The research further found disparities in teen birth rates between rural and urban areas within the state. It also showed that teenage pregnancies were more prevalent among Medicaid recipients and minority racial groups.

Published in the Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Childers along with Alexandra Richmond presented their findings at the 2024 West Virginia Rural Health Conference. Childers reflected on her experience with this research: “It makes me think about how I can be a better provider for my patients.”

Contributors to this study included Candice Lefeber from the Division of Pediatric Neonatal and Newborn Medicine; Dr. Timothy Lefeber from the School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics; Dr. Collin John from General Pediatrics; and Christa Lilly from Epidemiology and Biostatistics at WVU School of Public Health.

Umer is pursuing related studies focusing on substance use among expectant teen mothers to assess its impact on maternal and child health.