Conditional and Unconditional Cash Transfers to Improve Use of Contraception in Low and Middle Income Countries: A...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Development Economics
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Conditional and unconditional cash transfers (CCT/UCT) are poverty reduction tools used in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Their impact on reproductive health, specifically contraception, is not well-established.
• Previous research has not directly targeted contraception as an outcome for cash transfer programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the existing evidence on the effects of CCT and UCT on contraceptive use and fertility outcomes in LMICs.
• To assess the quality of studies examining these impacts.
• To identify gaps in the current research landscape.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of scientific and gray literature from 1994 to 2016.
• Inclusion of 11 papers from ten studies with a generally low risk of bias.
• Analysis focused on studies where cash transfers were implemented for reasons other than direct contraception promotion.

Main Results:

• Three studies indicated a positive impact on contraceptive use.
• Four studies reported a decrease in fertility outcomes, while two observed an increase in childbearing.
• Contraceptive use and fertility were consistently treated as unintended, indirect outcomes in the analyzed studies.

Conclusions:

• The evidence regarding the impact of CCT and UCT on contraception in LMICs is inconclusive.
• Limited study numbers, varied outcome measures, and the indirect nature of contraceptive outcomes hinder definitive conclusions.
• Further research is needed to understand the direct relationship between cash transfer programs and family planning.