Maternal WIC Participation Improves Breastfeeding Rates: A Statewide Analysis of WIC Participants

Abstract

This study examines the association between length of exposure to WIC services and breastfeeding initiation/duration. All women with singleton live births, first certified into MA WIC prenatally or PP (2001–2009), whose infants had complete breastfeeding and covariate data (maternal race, age, education, smoking status, BMI, HH income and size, birthweight and sex) were included (n=122,506). Multivariate Logistic and General Linear Model Regressions were used to examine timing of WIC entry (i.e., trimester of prenatal or PP) in relation to: 1) breastfeeding initiation, 2) mean duration 3) durations of 3, 6 and 12 months. Among prenatal WIC entrants, first (vs. third) trimester entry was associated with a 10% higher likelihood for primiparous, and a 32% higher likelihood for multiparous mothers (p < .01) of initiating breastfeeding. Prenatal entrants were more likely than PP entrants (p < .0001) to initiate breastfeeding (13% for primi and 23% for multiparous). Prenatal WIC entrants breastfed 1.7 (primiparous), and 3.4 (multiparious) weeks longer than PP entrants (p < .0001). Among multiparous women, first trimester entry was associated a greater likelihood of breastfeeding for three (15% greater), six (25% greater) and 12 (33% greater) months compared to third trimester entrants (p < 0001). WIC improves breastfeeding rates among a low income diverse population of women.Funding: MA Dept Pub Hlth