A policy brief published by the UCLA Center on Reproductive Health, Law and Policy found that unconditional cash transfer programs could benefit pregnant people and new parents.

UCT programs are government cash benefits that, in some cases, are intended to increase maternal and infant health outcomes while also decreasing economic, racial and gender inequity, said Sofia Espinoza, one of the brief’s authors. The paper’s authors argue that UCT programs should be used to promote reproductive and racial justice.

The United States has the highest infant and maternal mortality rate of any high-income country, Espinoza said, adding that rates are worsening in states that lack policies aimed at addressing maternal mortality or where abortion is banned.

The amount of cash support in programs can vary, with some providing $500 and others offering about $1,500, Espinoza said.

Melissa Goodman, another author of the brief, said she hopes the paper will help people become more familiar with UCT programs – which she says are gaining momentum in the U.S.

Cash transfer programs are not as well-known as other interventions such as tax credits, family leave and sick pay, added Goodman, the executive director of the Center on Reproductive Health, Law and Policy.

UCT programs are unique because they do not involve conditions that cause difficulties for people hoping to participate in government benefit programs, Goodman said. This also means there is less administrative burden, she added.

Another benefit is that UCT programs could lead to both short- and long-term change, Goodman said.

“One of the interesting things about cash transfer programs and their promise as we continue to study them is … they obviously have this very short-term, immediate impact for people who experience health and wealth disparities in this moment,” Goodman said. “But can they also be something that helps us lift people out of poverty and address more structural wealth disparities?”

People who gave birth within the past year are twice as likely to be in medical debt, Espinoza said, and those with a preexisting condition are also more likely to have financial difficulties after birth. These women sometimes have to reduce spending on necessities such as food and medicine so they can pay off their debt, Espinoza added.

In addition to financial help, UCT programs may reduce parental stress, Espinoza said.

“The data that we have suggests that access to UCTs can impact parent mental health,” Espinoza said. “It can reduce maternal smoking. It can help with parent stress levels and decrease depression and anxiety. And all of that, as we know, makes a parent a better parent to their kids if they are also healthy in that really critical stage.”

Some opponents of UCT programs may argue that people could use the money for purposes such as purchasing drugs or gambling, said Tegan Lecheler, the national program director of The Bridge Project. The Bridge Project is one of the largest unconditional cash programs for babies across the nation, according to its website.

Lecheler added that many studies have shown that this type of spending – referred to as temptation goods spending – does not increase and in some cases decreases.

Others may argue that instead of money, what should be provided is financial counseling or literacy training, Lecheler said – adding that she heavily disagrees with this.

“If you are someone who is able to feed a family of three or four people on $60 in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits a month, you actually have significantly better financial habits than me or most people, I think, who are not using SNAP benefits to buy their food,” Lechler said. “These populations could be teaching us a thing or two about financial literacy and about money management.”

With UCT programs, individuals can use the money for their specific needs, Espinoza said.

“The experiences of pregnant and newly parenting people can really vary based on your race, your sexual orientation, your immigration status, your contact with the criminal justice system,” Espinoza said. “Everybody can use their cash in the way that is most impactful to them and their specific circumstances, which – again, given the current political climate – I think is super important.”