Heart function during and after pre-eclampsia

SHePREG: Study of Heart function in PRE-Eclampsia during and after PreGnancy

NIH-funded research Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr · NIH-11258930

This project looks at how severe pre-eclampsia affects heart function in pregnant women from different racial backgrounds by checking heart health at delivery and up to a year later and linking findings to genetic differences.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionPennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Hershey, United States)
Project IDNIH-11258930 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you had severe pre-eclampsia, researchers will measure your heart function at the time of delivery and again at 6 and 12 months after birth. They will also collect a genetic sample to look for inherited changes linked to cardiomyopathy. The team will compare results across Non-Hispanic Black, Non-Hispanic White, Hispanic, and South/Southeast Asian women to see whether heart changes or genetic patterns differ by group. Computer analyses will help predict which genetic variants might affect heart health after pregnancy.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are women who experienced severe pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and can attend visits at delivery and at 6- and 12-months postpartum and provide a genetic sample.

Not a fit: People without a history of pre-eclampsia, those with only mild hypertensive pregnancy issues, or those unable to attend follow-up visits or provide genetic samples are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: This work could help identify women at higher risk for lasting heart problems after pre-eclampsia so they can get closer follow-up or earlier treatment.

How similar studies have performed: Previous pilot data from the team show persistent heart dysfunction up to 3 months postpartum and a higher frequency of cardiomyopathy-linked genetic variants, but this larger, racially diverse, year-long follow-up with detailed genetic analysis is relatively new.

Where this research is happening

Hershey, United States

Researchers

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 below.
Conditions Cardiac DiseasesCardiac Disorders
Last reviewed 2026-06-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.