The Impact of Prenatal WIC Participation on Infant Mortality and Racial Disparities

Objectives: We assessed the value of Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) services as a public health intervention seeking to improve birth outcomes and reduce racial disparities.

Methods: We compared the infant mortality rate (IMR) per 1000 live births and percentage of preterm births overall and by race for prenatal WIC versus non-WIC participants in Hamilton County, Ohio, from 2005 to 2008.

Results: The IMR was lower for WIC participants than for non-WIC participants (8.0 vs 10.6; P = .04). For African Americans, the IMR of WIC participants was much lower than that of non-WIC participants (9.6 vs 21.0; P < .001). For Whites, IMR and preterm birth rates were not improved by WIC participation; however, there was a higher rate of maternal smoking among Whites. The racial disparity in IMR was dramatically reduced in WIC participants (9.6 for African Americans vs 6.7 for Whites; P = .14) as compared with non-WIC participants (21.0 for African Americans vs 7.8 for Whites; P < .001).

Conclusions: Prenatal WIC participation is associated with significant improvements in African American IMR. WIC participation reduces racial disparities in IMR between African Americans and Whites.