Enhancing information to improve outcomes: the impact of home visiting programs on maternal health

We examine the impact of a home visiting program targeting pregnant women in Mexico City on maternal mortality. Using administrative data and taking advantage of the program’s rollout, we estimate a staggered difference-in-differences model. We find that the program substantially reduces the maternal mortality rate by 23 maternal deaths per 100,000 births, leading to a total of 105 lives saved in the study period, which amounts to social welfare gains of 17 million dollars. We complement our analysis using call data from a government telehealth program and show that the program led to more pregnancy-related calls, suggesting that the reduction in maternal mortality was at least partially driven by the type of information provided during the home visits, which increased mothers’ awareness of common pregnancy complications signs and connected pregnant women with the healthcare system.