Helping pregnant and breastfeeding women stop alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis to protect their babies
Adapting and testing a behavioral intervention to prevent FASD and adverse infant outcomes
This project adapts counseling plus incentive-based support to help pregnant and breastfeeding women in South Africa reduce drinking, smoking, and cannabis use to protect their babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Triangle Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Research Triangle Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11199671 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers will work with pregnant and breastfeeding women in South Africa to adapt a proven counseling program and a reward-based approach (contingency management) so it fits local needs. They will offer support, counseling, and incentives tied to regular substance-use testing, with active follow-up through pregnancy and after birth. The work has an initial phase to tailor the program locally and a later phase that offers the adapted program to women to see if substance use and infant outcomes improve. Local clinics and community partners will be involved to help deliver the intervention and track infant health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant or breastfeeding women who currently use alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis in the targeted South African communities would be ideal candidates for participation.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant or breastfeeding, or who do not use alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis, are unlikely to be eligible or receive direct benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower prenatal exposure to alcohol and other substances and reduce rates of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and other adverse infant outcomes in affected communities.
How similar studies have performed: Contingency management has shown success in the U.S. for reducing prenatal substance use, but combining it with this local adaptation and targeting polysubstance use in South Africa is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Research Triangle Park, United States
- Research Triangle Institute — Research Triangle Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Washio, Yukiko — Research Triangle Institute
- Study coordinator: Washio, Yukiko
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 below.