Helping new mothers avoid smoking after childbirth
Official title: Modifying Progesterone and Estradiol Levels to Prevent Postpartum Cigarette Smoking Relapse and Reduce Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Infants and Children
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11116923 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether adjusting hormone levels can help new mothers stay smoke-free after their baby is born, protecting both mom and child.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $621,620 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD100418-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11116923 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be new mothers who have recently given birth, previously smoked, and are at risk of relapsing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have never smoked or are not in the postpartum period would not directly benefit from this specific intervention.
What this research studies
Many new mothers who quit smoking during pregnancy start again shortly after giving birth, which can harm both themselves and their babies through secondhand smoke. We are exploring if a combination of hormones, specifically increasing progesterone and decreasing estradiol, can help prevent this relapse. Our previous work suggests that progesterone may reduce cravings and and help mothers stay smoke-free. We also saw that another hormone treatment, DMPA, was linked to longer periods of not smoking in other women. This approach aims to support new mothers in maintaining their smoke-free lifestyle.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer new mothers a way to prevent smoking relapse after childbirth, leading to better health for them and their infants.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data from this team and other research suggest that progesterone can have protective effects on addictive behaviors, indicating a basis for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Allen, Sharon S — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Allen, Sharon S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Using hormone therapy to help new mothers avoid smoking relapse
This study is looking at how giving new moms a hormone called progesterone might help them avoid smoking again after having a baby, making it easier for them to stay smoke-free and protect their little ones from secondhand smoke.
-
Promoting Breastfeeding to Prevent Postpartum Smoking Relapse
A trial tests whether encouraging new mothers to breastfeed helps prevent them from starting to smoke again after giving birth.
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Using bupropion to help new mothers avoid smoking relapse after childbirth
This study is looking at how well bupropion can help women who quit smoking during pregnancy stay smoke-free after having their baby, especially during the tough postpartum period when many might start smoking again.
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Multi-omic insights into alcohol use disorder with and without smoking
A scientist team will study how DNA methylation and RNA patterns in brain tissue differ in people with alcohol use disorder, comparing those who smoke to those who don’t, to understand biology and potential drug targets.
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.