Unconditional Cash Transfer May Increase Breastfeeding Rates

THURSDAY, May 29, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) through U.S. social programs may increase breastfeeding rates, including in persons with low income, according to a study published online May 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Sahar A. Choudhry, M.P.H., from Boston Medical Center, and colleagues summarized evidence on UCTs and postpartum outcomes in the United States using data for 11 reports from six studies. Four quasi-experimental (QE) studies examined three social programs, two of which targeted low-income populations, and seven reports from two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examined direct cash transfers to postpartum persons with low income.

The researchers found an increase in breastfeeding rates with UCTs (high strength of evidence: two RCTs, two QE studies), while little or no difference was seen in postpartum mood (high strength of evidence: one RCT, two QE studies). For all other associations, low strength of evidence or insufficient evidence was seen.

“Evidence suggests that associations between UCTs and other postpartum outcomes are either neutral or inconclusive,” the authors write. “We found no evidence of harm. However, data are lacking on key outcomes along the theoretical pathway from UCTs to postpartum health and survival.”

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