The Power of Prevention for Mothers and Children

The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) has released "The Power of Prevention for Mothers and Children: the Cost Effectiveness of Maternal and Child Health Interventions."  This report comprises some of the best peer-reviewed evidence on the cost-effectiveness of common Maternal and Child Health (MCH) public health interventions, many of which the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant supports.

Examples of findings include:

• Studies suggest that every $1 spent on smoking cessation counseling for pregnant women saves $3 in neonatal intensive care costs.
• Every $1 spent on preconception care programs for women with diabetes can reduce health costs by up to $5.19 by preventing costly complications in both mothers and babies.
• Vaccines are one of the most cost effective tools for preventing disease. Every $1 spent on vaccines saves up to $27 in future medical and social costs.