An adult and child walk hand in hand through a dry, rural landscape in northern Kenya. The adult wears traditional East African clothing in bright red, blue and yellow, while the child wears a light dress. The environment is arid, with sparse vegetation a

Study finds giving pregnant women cash transfers cuts infant mortality in half. Credit: Getty, hadynyah.

Published

18 Aug 2025

Study finds giving pregnant women cash transfers cuts infant mortality in half

A new study by Associate Professor Dennis Egger (Department of Economics and Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford) and researchers at the University of California, Berkeley reveals that giving unconditional cash transfers to pregnant women in rural Kenya significantly reduces infant and child mortality.

Associate Professor Dennis Egger

The research, conducted in partnership with co-authors Michael Walker, Nick Shankar, Professor Edward Miguel, and Grady Killeen from the University of California, Berkeley, evaluates the effects of a large-scale cash transfer programme operated by the non-government organisation GiveDirectly. Their findings show that providing a one-time, unconditional cash transfer of USD1,000 (equivalent to around 75% of annual household income) reduced infant mortality by 49% and under-five mortality by 45% in households where the cash arrives just around the time of birth.

Drawing on regional census data covering over 100,000 children across 10,500 low-income households in more than 650 villages, the study offers rare and compelling evidence from a large-scale randomised controlled trial of how direct financial support to expectant mothers can dramatically improve early childhood survival.

The sharp reduction in infant and child deaths is due to reductions in largely preventable conditions by appropriate obstetric care. It is concentrated amongst the poorest households and appears to be driven by several channels, including increased rates of hospital births, improved nutrition, and the ability of mothers to rest during pregnancy and after childbirth. Access to quality healthcare therefore seems a crucial complement in generating these effects.

This research underscores the powerful role of financial security during pregnancy and the postpartum period—and the potential for well-designed, unconditional cash transfers to save lives in low-resource settings.

Commenting on the study, Associate Professor Egger stated: 'Although the unconditional cash transfers were not primarily designed for this, our research shows that they may be a cost-effective way to reduce infant and child deaths.'

The paper ‘Can Cash Transfers Save Lives: Evidence from a Large-Scale Experiment in Kenya’ has been published today in NBER.