How changes in reproductive policies affect fertility, maternal health, and baby health
Official title: The fertility, maternal health, and infant health consequences of reproductive policy change
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11377185 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether recent state policies about reproductive and pregnancy care are linked to changes in who gets pregnant and how mothers and babies do across different communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $143,745 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HD114292-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377185 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living in U.S. states that recently changed reproductive or pregnancy-related policies, and those who are pregnant or may become pregnant, are the main populations this work relates to.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the United States or whose care and access were unchanged by state policy shifts are less likely to see direct benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze state-level birth certificates, Census data, and hospital records from 2016–2024 to track fertility, prenatal care, and birth outcomes. They will compare states that changed reproductive or pregnancy-related policies with control states using time-series methods that account for trends like declining fertility and disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The team will also break results down by subgroups with higher pregnancy risks (for example, those with late prenatal care, preterm births, or severe maternal morbidity) to see who is most affected. Their approach separates whether changes come from shifts in who becomes pregnant versus changes in underlying health or care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help policymakers and health systems identify which policies improve or worsen fertility and perinatal outcomes and guide better support for pregnant people and infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous observational studies have linked reproductive policy changes to shifts in birth rates and some maternal outcomes, but this project uses monthly, state-level data and stronger comparison methods to provide more precise estimates.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gemmill, Alison — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Gemmill, Alison
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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.