Family Check-Up program to improve heart health for new mothers and their young children
Official title: Expanding the Family Check-Up in Early Childhood to Promote Cardiovascular Health of Mothers and Young Children (ENRICH)
Funded at Magee-Women's Res Inst and Foundation · NIH-11129729 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A home-visiting program called FCU-Heart that aims to help postpartum mothers with cardiovascular risks and their children up to age three adopt heart-healthy habits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Magee-Women's Res Inst and Foundation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 16, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $848,554 |
| NIH project number | 5UH3HL163116-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11129729 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Postpartum mothers with cardiovascular risk factors (such as hypertension, diabetes, or obesity), typically from low-income backgrounds, who have children from birth up to age three are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without postpartum cardiovascular risk, those with children older than three, or those unwilling or unable to participate in home visits or coaching are unlikely to benefit from this program.
What this research studies
If you join, a trained family coach will visit your home to provide heart health checks, personalized goals for diet, activity, blood pressure, stress, and smoking cessation, and follow-up support delivered in 3–4 week modules. Phase 1 is a pilot randomized comparison of FCU-Heart versus the usual Family Check-Up to test feasibility and refine the program, enrolling about 150 families. Phase 2 is a larger multicenter randomized trial that will compare maternal and child cardiovascular outcomes through age three and collect information on reach and engagement. The program emphasizes culturally tailored, individualized coaching for low-income mothers with hypertension, diabetes, or obesity during or after pregnancy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could improve maternal blood pressure, weight and glucose control, reduce smoking, and promote healthier growth and cardiovascular risk profiles in children through age three.
How similar studies have gone: The Family Check-Up has prior evidence of improving parenting and child outcomes, but adapting it specifically to target cardiovascular health in mothers and young children is a new approach that has not yet been widely tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Magee-Women's Res Inst and Foundation
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Catov, Janet M — Magee-Women's Res Inst and Foundation
- Study coordinator: Catov, Janet M
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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.