WIC Participation, Prenatal Feeding Intentions and Breastfeeding Duration: Evidence of Heterogeneous Effects

Sarah Martin-Anderson, University of California, Berkeley

Previous research suggests a negative relationship between WIC participation and breastfeeding duration. This paper attempts to minimize selection bias by employing a propensity score matching technique and performing subgroup analysis conditional on a mother’s prenatal proclivity to breastfeed. I find that the overall negative association between WIC and breastfeeding duration is driven by women who are undecided or uncommitted to a feeding method, and not by the women most unlikely to breastfeed. Surprisingly, a significant negative association was also found in the group of women most committed to breastfeeding. The treatment effect in the other groups was small and insignificant.