TOH edition: Tuesday, 3 November 2026 · Health & Medicine
Supporting Families Could Save Babies’ Lives: Flint’s Newborn Death Rate Halved After Cash Payments Began
Reported by Science News
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Flint’s neonatal mortality rate fell from 10 to 5 deaths per 1,000 live births after the city introduced unconditional cash support during pregnancy and infancy. Rates elsewhere in Michigan remained stable, although the comparison alone cannot establish that the payments caused the improvement.
Giving families financial breathing room around childbirth may help protect babies’ lives as well as ease the strain of paying for essentials.
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