GROW Together: How a mother’s blood sugar affects a baby’s growth and future health in American Samoa
Official title: Maternal Glycemia During Pregnancy and CREBRF-Linked Pathways to Early Life Growth and Metabolic Health in American Samoa (The GROW Together Study)
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11448466 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study following pregnant Pacific Islander women in American Samoa to understand how glucose levels during pregnancy influence their babies’ early growth and later risk of diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 8, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $726,982 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HD120427-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11448466 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant women in American Samoa at risk for gestational diabetes and their newborns, with follow-up through early infancy.
✕Less likely to help
Women without gestational diabetes risk or those unlikely to participate in infant follow-up may receive no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project will enroll pregnant women in American Samoa and track their glucose levels across pregnancy and after birth, using detailed tests like frequent oral glucose tolerance tests and continuous glucose monitoring. It will also monitor infants after birth to see how the mother’s glycemia relates to early growth patterns and metabolic health. Researchers will analyze genetic factors that might buffer adverse prenatal exposures and connect maternal data to infant outcomes over the first 18 months. The aim is to reveal timing and severity aspects of maternal glucose control that influence child health, beyond a simple yes/no GDM diagnosis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could lead to tailored guidance for pregnant women to optimize fetal growth and reduce obesity and diabetes risk in children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed links between maternal glycemia and child growth, but this study extends to detailed glycemic timing, body composition, and genetics with infant follow-up.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Heinsberg, Lacey W — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Heinsberg, Lacey W
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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.