Maternal Age and Inadequate Prenatal Care in West Virginia: A Project WATCH Study

Authors

Madelin Gardner, West Virginia UniversityFollow
Amna Umer, West Virginia UniversityFollow
Brian Hendricks, West Virginia UniversityFollow
Toni Marie Rudisill, West Virginia UniversityFollow
Candice Lefeber, West Virginia UniversityFollow
Collin John, West Virginia UniversityFollow
Christa Lilly, West Virginia UniversityFollow

Corresponding Author

Madelin Gardner, PhD

megardner@hsc.wvu.edu

Author Affiliations

1. Madelin Gardner, PhD: Research Specialist, Health Affairs Institute, West Virginia University – WVU (Morgantown WV); E-mail: megardner@hsc.wvu.edu; ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1363-3638

2. Anna Umer, PhD, MPH: Pediatric Research Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics/Research, WVU

3. Brian Hendricks, PhD, MS: Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, WVU

4. Toni Marie Rudisill, PhD, MS: Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, WVU

5. Candice Lefeber, MPH: Project Manager, Division of Pediatric Neonatal & Newborn Medicine, School of Medicine, WVU

6. Collin John, MD, MPH: Associate Professor and Assistant Program Director, Divisions of Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, School of Medicine, WVU

7. Christa Lilly, PhD, MS: Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, WVU

Author Area of Expertise

Gardner - Epidemiology

Umer - Epidemiology

Hendricks - Epidemiology

Rudisill - Epidemiology

Lefeber - Pediatrics

John - Pediatrics

Lilly - Biostatistics

Abstract

Introduction: Adequate prenatal care (PNC) is essential to the overall health of mother and infant. Teen age and advanced maternal age (AMA) are known risk factors for poor birth outcomes. However, less is known about whether these age groups are associated with inadequate PNC.

Purpose: This study sought to determine the potential association between maternal age (in groups, aged 20–24, 25–29, 30–34, 35–39, and >40) and inadequate PNC (visits).

Methods: West Virginia (WV) Project WATCH population-level data (May 2018–March 2022) were used for this study. Multiple logistic regressions were performed on inadequate PNC (less than 10 visits) with maternal age categories, adjusting for covariates including maternal race, smoking status, substance use status, parity, education, geographic location, and insurance status.

Results: Results demonstrate that both young and AMA pregnant people are more likely to receive inadequate PNC. PNC is particularly important for these groups, as they are at increased risk of poor birth outcomes. Just over 11% of pregnant people who gave birth in WV received inadequate PNC. Participants aged 19 years and younger (aOR:1.3, CI:(1.2,1.4)), 35–39 years (aOR:1.1, CI:(1.0,1.2)), and 40 years (aOR:1.3, CI:(1.1,1.5)) were at increased odds of inadequate PNC relative to 25–29-year-olds.

Implications: Results indicate that easily obtained demographics, such as a pregnant person’s age, can be utilized by policymakers and clinical interventionists to improve birth outcomes by increasing PNC outreach for these groups.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.13023/jah.0601.03

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Gardner M, Umer A, Hendricks B, Rudisill TM, Lefeber C, John C, et al. Maternal age and inadequate prenatal care in West Virginia: A Project WATCH study. J Appalach Health 2024;6(1): 20–36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13023/jah.0601.03