Heart function during and after pre-eclampsia
Official title: SHePREG: Study of Heart function in PRE-Eclampsia during and after PreGnancy
Funded at Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr · NIH-11258930 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hershey, United States) |
| Project start | January 14, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,193,776 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL173039-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258930 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
Hershey, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bradley, Elisa Ann — Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Bradley, Elisa Ann
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Investigating heart function in women with severe pre-eclampsia during and after pregnancy
This study is looking at how severe pre-eclampsia affects heart health in women from different racial backgrounds, checking their heart function during delivery and again at 6 and 12 months after giving birth, to help find better ways to support women who might be at risk based on their genetics.
-
How air pollution during pregnancy affects fetal growth over time
This study looks at how air pollution affects the growth of babies in the womb during pregnancy, using ultrasound images to track changes over time, and it aims to help expectant parents understand when their babies might be most at risk from pollution.
-
Postoperative Pain Guidelines for Pregnancy: Safer, Patient-Centered Opioid Use
We’re creating patient-friendly guidelines to help doctors manage pain after delivery and surgery in pregnant people, aiming to reduce opioid overuse and improve safety.
-
HPV and pregnancy risk: a big study following 1,280 pregnancies
A large pregnancy study at UTMB looks at whether human papillomavirus (HPV) during pregnancy is linked to problems like preterm birth.
-
Understanding how where you live and personal factors during pregnancy affect a child’s risk for obesity and metabolic problems
This project looks at how neighborhood conditions and individual factors during pregnancy may influence a child’s risk of obesity and metabolic health as they grow.
-
Blocking cancer-causing cMYC tricks after pregnancy changes in the breast
Researchers are testing how pregnancy and aging reshape the breast before cancer risk, using patient-reinformed models to see if it changes how dangerous cMYC signals behave.
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.