3 targeted & unconditional cash transfer programs found positive effects on infant health in the first year of life.

“All three low-income-targeted unconditional programmes demonstrated mainly improved outcomes during the first year of life. The Gary Experiment yielded 117.6–530.4 g higher birth weight than children in the control group, depending on risk characteristics of mothers.23 The other US-based study found that AFDC was marginally associated with increased birth weight among poor whites (beta=32.00, SE: 16.11), but no significant change for other groups.22 The study from Manitoba, Canada suggested a monthly supplement was associated with a several positive outcomes, including a 29% reduction in the risk of low birth weight (95%CI 0.63 to 0.81), a 24% reduction in risk of preterm birth (95%CI 0.69 to 0.84), a 10% reduction in risk of small for gestation age (95%CI 0.81 to 099) and a 13% increase in large for gestational age (95%CI 1.05 to 1.23)."

empirical


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