Joint Commission will require hospitals to use specific naming conventions for newborns

By Maria Castellucci | June 27, 2018 (Click for original article) The Joint Commission starting next year will cite hospitals if they fail to use specific naming conventions to identify newborns. The new requirement, which will begin Jan. 1, is intended to mitigate the possibility of misidentifying newborns, which can lead to serious medical errors. Misidentification of newborns can result ... Read More

Closing of oil and coal power plants linked to drop in preterm births

Shereen Lehman | (June 8, 2018  -  See Original article) (Reuters Health) - The shuttering of eight oil- and coal-fueled electric plants in California was associated with a sizeable decrease in preterm births among women living nearby, researchers say. Their study took advantage of a “natural experiment” when six oil-fueled electricity-generating plants and two coal-powered plants were retired. Using data ... Read More

West Virginia now has its 2nd Baby Friendly designated hospital – St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington WV

St. Mary’s Maternity Services receives prestigious international award FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (HUNTINGTON)— St. Mary’s Maternity Services has received prestigious international recognition as a Designated Baby-Friendly birth facility from Baby-Friendly USA. Based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the award recognizes birth facilities that offer breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their ... Read More

Marijuana shops recommend products to pregnant women, against doctors’ warnings

By Michael Nedelman, CNN Updated 6:05 AM ET, Thu May 10, 2018 | See original article at CNN (CNN) A majority of cannabis dispensaries in Colorado recommended their products to women posing as pregnant customers with morning sickness, clashing with doctors' warnings about the potential harms, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. Of 400 ... Read More

Say YES To Safe Sleep For Babies Annual Competency Training – Save the Date

Save the Date Say YES To Safe Sleep For Babies Annual Competency Training Friday, April 27, 2018 • 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Days Inn Conference Center, Flatwoods “Going Beyond the Safe Sleep Message” Eileen Tyrala, MD, FAAP, Keynote Presenter Please join us as we bring national, state, and local partners together to share the latest knowledge, tools, and best ... Read More

(RFP) Drug Free Moms and Babies Project Expansion

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) The West Virginia Perinatal Partnership is requesting proposals to fund comprehensive, integrated programs for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders (SUD). The goal of the Drug Free Moms and Babies (DFMB) Project Expansion is to develop, evaluate, document, and replicate programs that support healthy baby outcomes by providing prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery ... Read More

2016 WV Perinatal Summit Presentations & Photos

On November 14 & 15, 2016 the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership held its annual Summit at the Charleston Marriott Town Center. View the 2016 West Virginia Perinatal Summit program and presentations. View the PHOTO GALLERY There is nothing to show here! Slider with alias 2016-Summit-Images not found.

March of Dimes Says Preterm Birth Rate Increase Is A Wake-Up Call

Statement by Edward R.B. McCabe, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the March of Dimes White Plains, NY | Thursday, June 02, 2016 For the first time in eight years, the national preterm birth rate has increased rather than decreased, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The 2015 preliminary preterm birth rate for the … 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 »