Helping parents make informed decisions for extremely premature babies
Official title: Promoting Shared Decision Making in Periviable Care: A randomized controlled trial of the Periviable GOALS Decision Support Tool
Funded at Indiana University Indianapolis · NIH-10916340 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is all about helping parents of very premature babies, born between 22 and 24 weeks, make tough decisions by creating a helpful tool that guides conversations with doctors about the best care options, so families can feel more supported and informed during this difficult time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $379,008 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HS028001-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10916340 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are parents of periviable neonates, particularly those facing decisions about resuscitation or palliative care.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not expecting a periviable birth or those whose infants are not in the specified gestational age range may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on improving the decision-making process for parents of periviable neonates, who are born between 22 and 24 weeks of gestation. It aims to develop and test a decision support tool that facilitates shared decision making between healthcare providers and families, ensuring that parents receive accurate information about the risks and benefits of resuscitation versus palliative care. By engaging parents in discussions about their values and goals, the research seeks to reduce decisional conflict and improve mental health outcomes for families facing these challenging choices.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could empower parents with better information and support, leading to more informed and satisfactory decisions regarding the care of their extremely premature infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that shared decision-making approaches can improve decision quality and parental satisfaction in similar high-stakes medical situations.
Where this research is happening
-
Indiana University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tucker Edmonds, Brownsyne M — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Tucker Edmonds, Brownsyne M
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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.