Why Wait?: Examining Delayed WIC Participation Among Pregnant Women

Abstract:     
Despite the benefits of prenatal participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), many eligible women either do not participate or begin participation late in their pregnancies. Using recent nationally representative data, we find that more disadvantaged women are more likely to access WIC and, with some notable exceptions, to participate earlier in their pregnancies. Hispanic women, especially those with language difficulties, enroll in WIC later in their pregnancies. Early WIC participation, particularly among teenagers, is less likely among women experiencing a first birth and depends on the mothers early recognition of her pregnancy.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 21

JEL Classification: I18, I30

Accepted Paper Series