Fetal brain protection with choline for pregnant women who drink heavily

Who could benefit from this research

What this research studies

This project builds on a large clinical trial in Western Cape, South Africa, where pregnant women who drink heavily will receive choline or a placebo during pregnancy. Infants will undergo advanced brain imaging after birth to understand how choline might protect brain structure and energy use. The study aims to see if maternal choline can normalize brain development and improve early cognitive outcomes despite prenatal alcohol exposure. It uses a double-blind design and adds neonatal imaging to uncover neural mechanisms behind any benefits.

Why it matters

Where this research is happening

• Massachusetts General Hospital
  Boston, United States Active

Researchers

• Principal investigator: Van Der Kouwe, Andre Jan Willem — Massachusetts General Hospital
• Study coordinator: Van Der Kouwe, Andre Jan Willem

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

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  Researchers will look for biological signs in pregnant women with HIV on a DTG-based regimen to understand why weight gain and metabolic problems happen and how these affect pregnancy.

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• Biomarker profiling to understand metabolic syndrome in pregnant women with HIV on DTG-based ART

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  NIH research Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, United States · NIH-11593951

About this research

1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.