This Town Pays Every Pregnant Woman Rs 1.3 Lakh

A US town has gone viral for offering Rs 1.3 lakh ($1,500) to women during pregnancy and Rs (44,000) $500 monthly for the first year of their child's life. The groundbreaking programme called Rx Kids was launched in Flint, Michigan, in 2024 by researchers at Michigan State University. It is the first community-wide, unconditional cash transfer program with two studies published recently showing that it "lowered rates of maternal postpartum depression, stabilised families' housing and improved infant outcomes".

The initiative, which began in Flint, has expanded to 11 Michigan communities, with plans to reach six more, according to a report in The Guardian. The programme was launched in the wake of a water crisis in the town in 2014 when lead contamination harmed children's health.

Paediatrician Mona Hanna, who discovered the crisis, later co-founded Rx Kids with Luke Shaefer, a University of Michigan professor.

"What we started in Flint was never just about Flint," said Ms Hanna, adding: "Nothing that we're doing is new and exciting. This work is done around the world because nations understand that it's for their best interest to invest in children."

"We have the most expensive healthcare system in the world. It is a sickness-based system. It is reactive. And really we should be funding and supporting interventions like Rx Kids, which is prevention-driven."

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"It took stress away'

The report highlighted the case of Angela Sintery, a preschool teacher and mother of two, who was initially sceptical when she heard about the programme. Pregnant with her child, Ms Sintery was repeatedly told by her family and friends to look into the scheme, which she believed was too good to be true.

However, after confirming the scheme was legit, she enrolled by submitting her ultrasound and ID. Soon, the funds arrived in her bank account, which allowed her to purchase essentials like a car seat, bassinet, and crib, and take 14 weeks off work to bond with her daughter, Jolene Love, born in May 2024.

"It took so much stress away," she said, adding that the programme helped her enjoy her pregnancy and afford diapers and wipes.

A paper in the American Journal of Public Health found Rx Kids reduced postpartum depression by 14 per cent and prevented evictions among low-income families. A second study reported lower rates of prematurity and low birth weight, saving Flint up to $6.2 million annually in NICU costs.

Ms Hanna and her team hope Rx Kids will inspire similar programmes nationwide.