Maternal Outcomes of WIC Recipients Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Arlesia Mathis (), Sarah G. Buxbaum, Fran Close, Sandra G. Suther, Elizabeth Mazzio, Remelda Saunders-Jones, Fayetta Justin, Karam F. A. Soliman and Selina Darling-Reed
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Arlesia Mathis: Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA
Sarah G. Buxbaum: Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA
Fran Close: Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA
Sandra G. Suther: Economic, Social, and Administrative Pharmacy, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA
Elizabeth Mazzio: Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA
Remelda Saunders-Jones: Family Practice, 1725 Capital Circle, NE, Suite 305, Tallahassee, FL 32301, USA
Fayetta Justin: Community Outreach, 2770 Capital Medical Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32308, USA
Karam F. A. Soliman: Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA
Selina Darling-Reed: Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 9, 1-10

Abstract: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic restricted the availability of healthcare and social services. This retrospective study reports WIC enrollment rates and presents descriptive data on prenatal care access and selected maternal health conditions among pregnant women in Florida before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using birth data linking maternal and infant characteristics from the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics, we examined birth records from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020 related to women ranging from 11 to 59 years of age who received WIC. The descriptive results show that WIC recipients had higher rates of inadequate prenatal care and adverse maternal health outcomes during the pandemic. Logistic regression results show that the odds of receiving inadequate prenatal care increased by 24% (OR = 1.24, p < 0.001), the odds of experiencing gestational diabetes by 9% (OR = 1.09, p < 0.001), and the odds of experiencing gestational hypertension by 10% (OR = 1.10, p < 0.001). Further research is needed to evaluate how specific WIC services influence maternal outcomes, particularly during public health emergencies.

Keywords: WIC programs; COVID-19 pandemic; prenatal care; gestational diabetes; gestational hypertension (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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