Health

Just because a pregnant woman is nearing her due date doesn’t mean it’s safe for her to drink alcohol. Alcohol exposure in the third trimester can still cause her baby developmental problems later in life, including difficulty with language, memory and focusing. WVU researchers Candice Hamilton, Amna Umer, Collin John and Christa Lilly were part of an investigation into how often West Virginia babies are exposed to alcohol in the last two to four weeks before their birth. They found that about 8 percent of newborns statewide had markers for prenatal alcohol exposure in their blood.

With help from alumni and friends, the next generation of West Virginia dentists and dental hygienists will be trained in radically modernized facilities that reflect the excellent education and quality patient care provided by the West Virginia University School of Dentistry.

Dentistry students at West Virginia University who demonstrate a commitment to compassionate care will benefit from the generosity of an alumnus who found a supportive family atmosphere at the School of Dentistry and his wife who leads a WVU health care studies program.

West Virginia University’s telestroke program connects rural hospitals throughout West Virginia—and across the Maryland border—with neurologists at WVU, who can offer insight into stroke cases. New research suggests that since the program’s launch in 2016, more patients at those hospitals are receiving prompt, noninvasive stroke treatments there, rather than being driven or flown somewhere else.

Students who have a passion for music but also want a career in healthcare can now study both disciplines with a new degree program at West Virginia University. WVU will be one of the first universities in the nation with a music and health undergraduate program.

From Wheeling to Williamson, West Virginians will gain new and improved options to get active with a leisurely stroll or bicycle ride, thanks to a statewide project involving West Virginia University.

Being exposed to PFAS—a class of chemicals found in drinking water—has been linked to higher rates of cancer, heart disease, thyroid dysfunction and other conditions. WVU School of Dentistry researchers R. Constance Wiener and Christopher Waters studied whether PFAS exposure is also associated with tooth decay. They found that children who had higher concentrations of a particular PFAS were more likely to have higher rates of tooth decay.

Opportunities to broaden the scope of their health care studies and make global connections await West Virginia University’s most recent Gilman Scholars this year in Santarem, Brazil.

West Virginia University will hold its annual Gold-Blue Spring Game presented by Encova on Saturday, April 18, at 1 p.m., at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium.

The Carnegie Foundation for Advancement and Teaching has named WVU as one of 75 institutions receiving its highest recognition in community engagement. WVU first received the classification in 2010.