Moms and Babies Health and Well-being

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to see how giving direct cash support affects the health of pregnant women and their babies in the U.S. Many families, especially those with low incomes, face challenges during pregnancy and after childbirth. This study will explore whether financial help during these times leads to better health.

The main questions this research aims to answer are:

* Does extra money during pregnancy and a baby's first months improve the baby's growth and overall health?
* How does financial support affect a mother's physical and mental health before and after birth?
* Does having extra money help moms get better healthcare and make healthier food choices for themselves and their babies?

Participants in this study will be randomly assigned to either a high cash or low cash group. They will be enrolled in the study and asked to complete:

* A baseline survey
* A follow-up survey 12 months after enrollment
* A final survey 18 months after enrollment

In addition, participants' medical records will be reviewed, and some may be selected for a qualitative interview to share more about their experiences.

This research is being done in partnership with The Bridge Project, a program that helps moms in need. The goal is to find better ways to support the health of moms and babies facing financial hardship.

Conditions

• Maternal and Child Health Outcomes

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Direct Cash Support for Maternal and Infant Health (High fee)

The high fee group will receive direct cash assistance to pregnant women and mothers of infants to improve access to healthcare, alleviate financial strain, and facilitate healthier lifestyle choices. This group will receive a higher level of financial support compared to the low fee group, with the aim of examining how larger amounts of financial assistance affect maternal and infant health, healthcare access, and well-being.

BEHAVIORAL

Behavioral: Direct Cash Support for Maternal and Infant Health (Low fee)

The low fee group will receive direct cash assistance to pregnant women and mothers of infants to improve access to healthcare, reduce financial strain, and support healthier lifestyle choices. This group will receive a lower level of financial support compared to the high fee group, allowing us to compare the effects of varying levels of financial assistance on maternal and infant health outcomes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Bridge Project

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Columbia University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Catherine Monk, PhD · Columbia University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-02-28

Primary Completion

2027-08-31

Completion

2027-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations