How air pollution and heat affect pregnant women, newborns, and young children in sub‑Saharan Africa
Official title: CHaracterizing Effects of Air Quality In Maternal, Newborn and Child Health: The CHEAQI-MNCH Research Project
Funded at Centre/sexual Hlth/hiv Aid Res/zimbabwe · NIH-11179193 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how air pollution and heat impact the health of pregnant women, newborns, and children under 11 in parts of sub‑Saharan Africa.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Centre/sexual Hlth/hiv Aid Res/zimbabwe NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Harare, Zimbabwe) |
| Project start | September 14, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $144,366 |
| NIH project number | 5U01ES036146-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11179193 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant women and caregivers of children under 11 living in urban or peri‑urban areas of Zimbabwe or other participating sub‑Saharan African sites would be the likely candidates for participation.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not live in the study areas or who are not pregnant and do not care for young children are unlikely to get direct benefits from participating.
What this research studies
This work follows pregnant women and young children in Zimbabwe and nearby communities to link air pollution and heat events with outcomes like miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, and preeclampsia. The team will combine ground air‑quality sensors, satellite and weather data, and health records or clinic visits to estimate individual and community exposures. Advanced data science methods will be used to identify which families and neighborhoods are most at risk and how poverty, food insecurity, and access to care change those risks. Results are intended to help health services target protections and inform policies to reduce pollution‑related harm.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify high‑risk mothers and children so local health programs and policies can better prevent pollution‑related pregnancy and childhood harms.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in other regions have linked air pollution and heat to poor birth outcomes, but comparable studies in African populations are limited, so this work builds on suggestive evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Centre/sexual Hlth/hiv Aid Res/zimbabwe
Harare, Zimbabwe Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Makanga, Prestige Tatenda — Centre/sexual Hlth/hiv Aid Res/zimbabwe
- Study coordinator: Makanga, Prestige Tatenda
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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.