EAST LANSING, Mich. – A new study published in The Lancet Public Health found that Rx Kids , the nation's first community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program, led to significant improvements in birth outcomes for infants born in Flint, Michigan. The program reduced low birthweight and preterm birth rates and prevented admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU.
The findings show that providing direct support during pregnancy and infancy can improve maternal and infant health. This is among the first population-level studies in the United States showing that direct economic support during pregnancy improves birth outcomes.
Researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Michigan analyzed approximately 4,500 births in Flint between January 2021 and June 2025, comparing outcomes before and after the launch of Rx Kids to those in similar cities in the state without the program.
Before Rx Kids, low birthweight and preterm birth rates in Flint increased from 2021 to 2023. After the program began in 2024, those trends reversed. Compared to similar communities, Flint experienced meaningful declines in both outcomes.
Following the launch of Rx Kids, Flint saw an estimated 18% reduction in preterm births and a 27% reduction in low birthweight. These improvements contributed to a roughly 29% decrease in NICU admissions, generating millions in healthcare savings.
"These findings are a big deal and should change how our country thinks about maternal and infant health," said Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine . "For decades, we've talked about the social drivers of health. This study shows we can actually change them — and improve outcomes at a population level. Poverty is a powerful pathogen harming moms and babies, but these findings prove it is also treatable. When we invest directly in families during pregnancy and infancy, we prevent complications, reduce NICU admissions and give children a healthier start for life."
Previous Rx Kids research has shown a near-universal participation rate with improvements in housing stability, food hardship, maternal mental health , as well as an increase in prenatal care utilization and trust in healthcare institutions . The research also shows a decrease in smoking during pregnancy. All of these outcomes are key drivers of healthier births.
Rx Kids was designed to improve maternal and infant health by addressing the economic shock that accompanies childbirth — when income often drops and expenses surge. At the same time, this period marks a critical window for child development, with conditions in utero and early infancy shaping lifelong health and development. The program provides $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month during infancy for babies in participating communities.
"When we look at population-level data, we can see that Rx Kids is making a measurable difference in the health of babies at birth," said Sumit Agarwal, a physician and health economist at the University of Michigan, assistant professor at the U-M Medical School and School of Public Health, and a faculty affiliate of Poverty Solutions at U-M. "These results show that providing economic support during pregnancy can improve infant health at a population level."
Since launching in 2024, Rx Kids has expanded to 42 Michigan communities and provided direct support to more than 11,000 families. The program has demonstrated improvements in family financial stability , prevention of child welfare system involvement , and meaningful economic benefits, with millions of dollars flowing directly into local businesses and communities .
Rx Kids is led by Michigan State University and administered by GiveDirectly, with support from the state of Michigan and a growing family of funders, through a public-private partnership.
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