Better pregnancy care for women with intellectual and developmental disabilities on Medicaid
Improving pregnancy outcomes for women with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Medicaid
This project looks at how when people get Medicaid, the quality of prenatal care, and extra disability services relate to pregnancy outcomes for women with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258911 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a woman with an intellectual or developmental disability on Medicaid, researchers will combine national Medicaid records for over 72,000 pregnancies from 2011–2022 with interviews of women with IDD to learn what helps during pregnancy. They will examine whether enrolling in Medicaid before pregnancy, getting timely and adequate prenatal care, and having access to Home and Community Based Services waivers affect maternal and birth outcomes. The team will use statistical analysis of the large Medicaid dataset and qualitative interviews to identify barriers and successful practices. The goal is to recommend policies and services that reduce pregnancy complications and improve care continuity.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are women with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are pregnant or recently pregnant and are enrolled in Medicaid, or who are willing to be interviewed about their pregnancy care experiences.
Not a fit: People not enrolled in Medicaid, those without intellectual or developmental disabilities, or anyone needing immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to get direct personal medical benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide Medicaid policies and services that lower maternal complications and improve birth outcomes for women with IDD.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies show timely prenatal care improves outcomes in the general population, but few large studies or interviews have focused specifically on women with IDD, so this approach is relatively novel for this group.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University Medical Campus — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rubenstein, Eric S — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Rubenstein, Eric S
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.