Buescher P A, Larson L C, Nelson M D, Lenihan A J
State Center for Health and Environmental Statistics, Raleigh, NC 27626-0538.
J Am Diet Assoc. 1993 Feb;93(2):163-6. doi: 10.1016/0002-8223(93)90832-6.
A number of previous studies have found that prenatal participation in the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) improves birth outcomes, but only a few studies have provided cost-benefit analyses. The present study linked Medicaid and WIC data files to birth certificates for live births in North Carolina in 1988. Women who received Medicaid benefits and prenatal WIC services had substantially lower rates of low and very low birth weight than did women who received Medicaid but not prenatal WIC. Among white women, the rate of low birth weight was 22% lower for WIC participants and the rate of very low birth weight was 44% lower; among black women, these rates were 31% and 57% lower, respectively, for the WIC participants. Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that prenatal participation in a WIC program reduced the rate of low birth weight. It was estimated that for each $1.00 spent on WIC services, Medicaid savings in costs for newborn medical care were $2.91. A higher level of WIC participation was associated with better birth outcomes and lower costs. These results indicate that prenatal WIC participation can effectively reduce low birth weight and newborn medical care costs among infants born to women in poverty.
此前的多项研究发现，孕期参与妇女、婴儿和儿童特别补充食品计划（WIC）可改善出生结局，但只有少数研究进行了成本效益分析。本研究将医疗补助和WIC数据文件与1988年北卡罗来纳州活产的出生证明相关联。获得医疗补助福利和孕期WIC服务的女性，其低出生体重和极低出生体重的发生率显著低于仅获得医疗补助但未接受孕期WIC服务的女性。在白人女性中，参与WIC计划的女性低出生体重发生率降低了22%，极低出生体重发生率降低了44%；在黑人女性中，参与WIC计划的女性这两个发生率分别降低了31%和57%。多因素逻辑回归分析证实，孕期参与WIC计划可降低低出生体重发生率。据估计，每花费1美元用于WIC服务，医疗补助在新生儿医疗护理成本方面可节省2.91美元。更高水平的WIC参与度与更好的出生结局和更低的成本相关。这些结果表明，孕期参与WIC计划可有效降低贫困女性所生孩子的低出生体重和新生儿医疗护理成本。
