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

Area of Science:

• Maternal Health
• Public Health
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Adequate prenatal care (PNC) is crucial for maternal and infant health.
• Teenage and advanced maternal age (AMA) are recognized risk factors for adverse birth outcomes.
• The association between maternal age and inadequate PNC requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between maternal age groups and the likelihood of receiving inadequate PNC.
• To identify specific maternal age categories associated with insufficient prenatal visits.

Main Methods:

• Utilized West Virginia (WV) Project WATCH population-level data from May 2018 to March 2022.
• Defined inadequate PNC as fewer than 10 visits.
• Employed multiple logistic regression, adjusting for race, smoking, substance use, parity, education, location, and insurance.

Main Results:

• Over 11% of pregnant individuals in WV received inadequate PNC.
• Maternal age groups 19 and younger, 35-39, and 40+ showed increased odds of inadequate PNC compared to 25-29-year-olds.
• Both young and AMA individuals were more likely to receive inadequate prenatal care.

Conclusions:

• Maternal age is a significant demographic factor associated with inadequate prenatal care.
• Policymakers and clinicians can use maternal age to identify individuals needing increased PNC outreach.
• Targeted interventions can help improve birth outcomes for at-risk maternal age groups.