The Manitoba Healthy Baby Prenatal Benefit Program: who is participating?
BACKGROUND
Programs offering income supplements for lower-income pregnant women have been introduced in order to reduce the incidence of poor perinatal outcomes. This study used a population-based approach to examine the characteristics of mothers who received the Healthy Baby Prenatal Benefit in Manitoba.


METHODS
All women giving birth between August 2001 and April 2003 (n = 22,643) were studied using de-identified linked administrative data. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors that predicted receipt of the benefit, adjusting for potential confounding effects. Separate regressions were run for all mothers, and for a group of mothers eligible to receive the benefit (N = 1962).


RESULTS
Almost 29% of mothers giving birth during the study period received the prenatal benefit. Mothers were more likely to receive the benefit if they: lived outside of Winnipeg; received income assistance during pregnancy; were younger at their first birth; were unmarried; made prenatal physician visits; experienced maternal depression; were having a first birth; and lived in the lowest income areas. Despite all being eligible, only 67% of non-Winnipeg and 80% of Winnipeg women receiving income assistance received the benefit. Factors related to benefit receipt for those eligible were: living in Winnipeg; making prenatal visits; not being a young teen at current birth; and experiencing a first birth.


CONCLUSIONS
It is important to look not only at the characteristics of benefit recipients but also at those not receiving the benefit, in order to develop strategies to reach those who may most need and benefit from the program.
Brownell
Marni D
MD
Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg. marni_brownell@cpe.umanitoba.ca
Guevremont
Anne
A
Au
Wendy
W
Sirski
Monica
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D040361:Healthy People Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008350:Manitoba; D017533:Marital Status; D008423:Maternal Age; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008483:Medical Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000191:economics*; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors