The Reduction of Infant Mortality in Illinois
The Family Case Management Program and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
The chart below displays the proportion of pregnant women who were active in the WIC program during pregnancy and gained the ideal amount of weight while pregnant. An increase in this proportion indicates that the program is reaching its goal.
WIC Prenatal Participants' Weight Gain During Pregnancy
FY 03 - FY 08
Description of Chart 3: WIC Prenatal Participants' Weight Gain During Pregnancy
| MONTH |
Weight
Gain % |
| Dec-02 |
26.70% |
| Mar-03 |
24.10% |
| Jun-03 |
23.79% |
| Sep-03 |
27.24% |
| Dec-03 |
25.08% |
| Mar-04 |
27.47% |
| Jun-04 |
27.37% |
| Sep-04 |
28.09% |
| Dec-04 |
28.20% |
| Mar-05 |
27.99% |
| Jun-05 |
28.83% |
| Sep-05 |
28.83% |
| Dec-05 |
29.02% |
| Mar-06 |
29.10% |
| Jun-06 |
29.46% |
| Sep-06 |
29.84% |
| Dec-06 |
29.26% |
| Mar-07 |
28.53% |
| Jun-07 |
28.35% |
| Sep-08 |
29.79% |
| Dec-08 |
28.60% |
| Mar-08 |
28.45% |
| Jun-08 |
28.92% |
Women require additional calories during pregnancy to adequately nourish the developing fetus. The Institute of Medicine has identified ideal weight gain ranges based on a woman's pre-pregnancy weight status. The WIC Program uses these guidelines. The
CDC's Prenatal Nutrition Surveillance System clearly shows women who gain too little weight during pregnancy and smoke are at the greatest risk for delivering a low birth weight baby. New research is becoming available indicating increased risks to
mother and baby if too much weight is gained during pregnancy as well. Staff training now focuses on working with clients to encourage appropriate amounts of total weight gain at an appropriate rate. WIC's core strategies for the improvement of birth
weight and the reduction of infant mortality are nutrition education and food supplementation. Therefore, prenatal weight gain is a core performance measure for the WIC program. Illinois' WIC program has been making steady progress in the improvement of
prenatal weight gain.
