In 2004, we compared MIHOW Mississippi mothers to similar mothers and found that:
· 90% began prenatal care in the first trimester, compared to 75% of pregnant women in Mississippi
· 81% received adequate prenatal care, compared to 69% of Mississippi women
· 7.7% gave birth to a low birth weight infant, compared to 14.3% statewide
· 95.3% of participants eligible for WIC enrolled, compared to 75% statewide
· almost 90% of MIHOW infants were on schedule with recommended well-child visits at six and nine months
· 98.5% secured some form of health insurance, compared to the national rate of 81.6%
Several qualitative and quantitative studies (1990, 1992, 1995) show that the MIHOW program makes a difference
. . .
MIHOW
mothers score significantly higher on nationally recognized
scales for mother-infant interaction, affection, and stimulation
than comparison mothers, leading to . . .
- greater
sense of purpose
- greater
sense of hope
- greater
sense of control over their lives
- deeper
connection with their child
MIHOW
promotes sound health practices and preventive care during
pregnancy, resulting in . . .
- earlier
prenatal care
- more
prenatal care visits
- more
needed vitamin and iron supplements
- less
smoking and caffeine consumption
- better
preparation for labor and delivery
Children
of MIHOW participants show developmental advantages in .
. .
- language
usage
- social
skills
MIHOW
mothers are more likely to breastfeed, which can have
far-reaching health benefits by . . .
- promoting
resistance to the most common diseases in infants
- preventing
lymphomas and diabetes in children
- decreasing
mothers' risk for breast and ovarian cancer
Contact
with outreach workers during the first three years of
parenting leads to . . .
- non-violent
positive discipline
- more
timely immunizations for their children
MIHOW
mothers had fewer children than other mothers with similar
backgrounds (controls). Case management and mentoring by
peers helps to . . .
- prevent
teen pregnancies
- delay
second pregnancies
MIHOW
participants are more likely to get help for themselves,
increasing access to health and social services in isolated
communities. Such preventive measures save money by . .
.
- spotting
potential problems early
- facilitating
early intervention
- preventing
more expensive, acute problems
