MIHOW Program

The MIHOW Program targets economically disadvantaged and geographically and/or socially isolated families with children birth to age 3. The program is designed to improve health and child development among these families. Learn more about the characteristics and risk factors of MIHOW moms.

MIHOW is helping women have better birth outcomes by:

• Helping them enroll in prenatal care early in pregnancy
• Encouraging use of prenatal vitamins and good nutrition
  
• Educating them about strong health habits, fetal development, labor and delivery, and signs of preterm labor
  

MIHOW children are more likely to:

• Be born at full birth weight
• Receive timely immunizations
  
• Enjoy a safe sleeping environment
• Be  breastfed
  
• Be emotionally attached to their parents
  
• Live in a safe home
  
• Be read to often, promoting literacy
• Be well cared for physically
  
• Meet appropriate child development milestones
  

MIHOW is a cost-effective way to improve birth outcomes and ensure future health of our nation’s children.

Birth outcomes and low birth weight

Babies born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces (2,500 grams) are at increased risk for health problems, lasting disabilities, and high health care costs. 

• Average length and cost of hospital stay for preterm/low birth weight babies is 12.9 days and $15,100, versus 1.9 days and $600 for other newborns (Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample, 2001)

• Cost to Medicaid is $6.4 billion in the first seven years of life of preterm babies

• Preterm births cost society at least $26 billion per year in costs of care for short and long term health conditions, educational expenditures and lost productivity

• Women can reduce the chance of having a low birth weight baby before they become pregnant by controlling diabetes and hypertension, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, and ensuring they are free of infections and up-to-date on vaccinations.

• The risk of having a low birth weight baby decreases with early and regular prenatal care, good nutrition, prenatal vitamins, especially folic acid, and not  smoking (March of Dimes 2007, Institute of Medicine 2006)

Much low birth weight can be prevented.  MIHOW participants have lower incidence of low birth weight than mothers without MIHOW, at a cost of approximately $2000 per family per year compared to a possible cost of $15,000 for hospital care of a low birth weight baby.

 The following graph shows birth weight rates for 2011.  The percentage of low birth weight babies born to all MIHOW mothers during the program year was 7.5%, even lower than the target of 7.8% for the 2020 Healthy People Objective.

Figure 1 ¹

Figure 2 ^2,3,4

Figure 3 ^5,6,7,8,9

Figure 4 ^10,11

BACK TO TOP

Timely Immunizations

Establishing an immunization routine is based on parental behavior and influenced by the MIHOW program.

Figure 5 ^12,13

BACK TO TOP
 

Reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): Infants put to sleep on their backs

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of SIDS. MIHOW mothers do this at higher than national levels.

Figure 6 ^14,15

BACK TO TOP

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding enhances child health and development, and facilitates early learning. Regardless of race, MIHOW mothers receiving WIC in Tennessee are nearly twice as likely to breastfeed as non-MIHOW WIC mothers and are more likely to continue breastfeeding for six months.

Figure 7 ^16,17,18,19

Figure 8 ^16,17,18,19 

BACK TO TOP

Emotional Attachment

A nurturing style of parenting is a protective factor for child maltreatment. ²⁰ Based on the Home Observation for the Measurement of the Environment ²¹, MIHOW mothers scored significantly higher (p<.001) than non MIHOW mothers on emotional and verbal responsiveness to the child, avoidance of restriction and punishment, organization of the environment, involvement with the child, provision of appropriate play materials, and opportunities for variety in daily stimulation. ²⁶

BACK TO TOP

Home Safety

In a 12 month period, 13 percent of US 2-year-olds are injured seriously enough to need medical attention. ²² In spite of their low income, children in MIHOW families have far fewer injuries than children in families with greater resources (1% of MIHOW two year olds vs. 13 % of US two year olds).

Figure 9 ^23,24,25

BACK TO TOP

Early Literacy

Reading to young children promotes their cognitive development and leads to success in school and life.

Figure 10 ^22,23
 

BACK TO TOP