Results Most interventions combined microfinance with health education , which demonstrated positive effects on health knowledge and behaviours , though not health status .
Interventions combining multiple health components in a given study demonstrated positive effects , though it was unclear which component was driving the effect .
Discussion Integrated microfinance and health education programs were effective , though longer intervention periods are necessary to measure more complex pathways to health status .
The effect of microfinance combined with other health components was less clear .
Background Solutions delivered within firm sectoral boundaries are inadequate in achieving income security and better health for poor population s.  Integrated microfinance and health interventions leverage networks of women to promote financial inclusion , build livelihoods , and safeguard against high cost illnesses .
Our underst and ing of the effect of integrated interventions has been limited by variability in intervention , outcome , design , and method ological rigour .
This systematic review synthesis es the literature through 2015 to underst and the effect of  integrated microfinance and health programs .
The equity impact of participatory women’s groups to reduce neonatal mortality in India: secondary analysis of a cluster-randomised trial
Progress towards the Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs ) has been uneven . Inequalities in child health are large and effective interventions rarely reach the most in need . Little is known about how to reduce these inequalities . We describe and explain the equity impact of a  women ’s group intervention in India that strongly reduced the neonatal mortality rate ( NMR )  in a cluster-r and omised trial . We conducted secondary analyses of the trial data , obtained through prospect i ve surveillance of a population of 228 186 . The intervention effects were estimated separately , through r and om effects logistic regression , for the most and less socio-economically marginalised groups . Among the most marginalised , the NMR was 59 % lower in intervention than in control clusters in years 2 and 3 ( 70 % , year 3 ) ; among the less marginalised , the NMR was 36 % lower ( 35 % , year 3 ) . The intervention effect was stronger among the most than among the less marginalised ( P-value for difference = 0.028 , years 2 - 3 ; P-value for difference = 0.009 , year 3 ) . The stronger effect was concentrated in winter , particularly for early NMR . There was no effect on the use of health-care services in either group , and improvements in home care were comparable . Participatory community interventions can substantially reduce socio-economic inequalities in neonatal mortality and contribute to an equitable achievement of the unfinished MDG agenda
Results Most interventions combined microfinance with health education , which demonstrated positive effects on health knowledge and behaviours , though not health status .
Interventions combining multiple health components in a given study demonstrated positive effects , though it was unclear which component was driving the effect .
Discussion Integrated microfinance and health education programs were effective , though longer intervention periods are necessary to measure more complex pathways to health status .
The effect of microfinance combined with other health components was less clear .
Background Solutions delivered within firm sectoral boundaries are inadequate in achieving income security and better health for poor population s.  Integrated microfinance and health interventions leverage networks of women to promote financial inclusion , build livelihoods , and safeguard against high cost illnesses .
Our underst and ing of the effect of integrated interventions has been limited by variability in intervention , outcome , design , and method ological rigour .
This systematic review synthesis es the literature through 2015 to underst and the effect of  integrated microfinance and health programs .