Association of Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children With Preterm Birth and Infant Mortality.

ABSTRACT: Importance:Nearly 4 in 10 expectant mothers in the United States received Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits during pregnancy between 2011 and 2017. Despite public support for the program, empirical evidence of the success of the program varies substantially. Objective:To assess the association of WIC program participation during pregnancy by low-income expectant mothers covered by Medicaid with infant mortality by gestational age at birth and by maternal race/ethnicity in comparison with their counterparts who did not receive WIC benefits. Design, Setting, and Participants:This cohort study obtained data from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2017, from US live birth certificates. Data were from 11?148?261 expectant mothers who delivered live births in states that have implemented the 2003 revision of the US live birth certificate and whose insurance coverage and receipt of WIC benefits were recorded on the birth certificates. Data analysis was performed from June 2019 to October 2019. Exposures:Receipt of WIC benefits during pregnancy. Main Outcomes and Measures:The first outcome was gestational age at birth: extremely preterm (<28 weeks), very preterm (28-32 weeks), moderate-to-late preterm (32-37 weeks), and normal term (?37 weeks) births. The second outcome was death within the first year of life. Results:Among the 11?148?261 expectant mothers who delivered live births between 2011 and 2017 and were covered by Medicaid during pregnancy, the modal age at delivery was 20 to 24 years, the predominant race/ethnicity was non-Hispanic white (4 257 790 [38.2%]), and 8?145?770 (73.1%) received WIC benefits during pregnancy. The proportion of expectant mothers covered by Medicaid who also received WIC benefits decreased from 2011 to 2017 (79.3% to 67.9%; P?

SUBMITTER: Soneji S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6902759 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature