How WIC Makes A Difference

Benefits to Women and Newborns

• WIC saves health care dollars. Every WIC dollar spent on a pregnant woman saves over $3.50 in federal, state, local and private health care costs.
  [Source: WIC and the Nutrient Intake of Children, Victor Olivera and C. Gunderson, FRED, ERC, USDA, FANRR #5. March, 2000.] 
• WIC participation significantly increases the number of women receiving adequate prenatal care.
• WIC participation dramatically lowers infant mortality among Medicaid beneficiaries.
• WIC improves the dietary intake of pregnant and postpartum women. It also improves weight gain in pregnant women.
• WIC participation decreases the incidence of low birth weight and lowers pre-term births.

Benefits to Children

• WIC participation lowers the rate of anemia among children ages 6 months to 5 years.
• WIC significantly improves children's dietary intake of vitamins and nutrients such as iron, vitamin C, vitamin A, thiamine, protein, niacin, and vitamin B6.
• 4- and 5-year-olds who participated in WIC in early childhood have better vocabularies and digit memory scores than comparable children who did not participate in WIC.
• WIC participation leads to higher rates of immunization against childhood diseases.

CALL 211 to locate a WIC clinic near you.