Economic evaluation of California prenatal participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to prevent preterm birth.

ABSTRACT: There is growing evidence that prenatal participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) reduces the risk of adverse birth outcomes. With recent changes in health care, rising health care costs, and increasing rates of prematurity in the U.S., there is urgency to estimate the potential cost savings associated with prenatal WIC participation. A cost-benefit analysis from a societal perspective with a time horizon over the newborn's life course for a hypothetical cohort of 500,000 Californian pregnant women was conducted in 2017. A universal coverage, a status quo ('business as usual') and a reference scenario (absence of WIC) were compared. Total societal costs, incremental cost savings, return on investment, number of preterm births prevente

SUBMITTER: Nianogo RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6696990 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature