How HIV and HIV medicines during pregnancy affect the placenta and baby’s birth weight
Impact of in utero HIV and antiretroviral exposure on the placenta and birth weight
This project measures HIV medicine levels in pregnant people and newborns to link those exposures with placental changes and babies' birth weights.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11254902 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would provide a small dried blood spot sample during pregnancy and, at delivery, your baby's hair and the placenta would be collected. Researchers will measure antiretroviral drug levels in those samples and examine the placenta for structural or cellular changes. The project compares pregnancies of people with HIV on ART and people without HIV exposed to PrEP to look for patterns tied to birth weight. The goal is to use objective drug measurements to clarify possible effects of HIV medicines taken during pregnancy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people taking antiretroviral drugs for HIV treatment or prevention (PrEP) and their newborns would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant or who are pregnant but not taking any antiretroviral medications would not be the focus and likely would not benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors choose and counsel about HIV medicines in pregnancy to reduce risks to the placenta and newborn weight.
How similar studies have performed: Antiretroviral treatment in pregnancy is proven to prevent infant HIV, but linking objective drug-level measurements with placental changes and birth weight is relatively new and not well established.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bebell, Lisa M — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Bebell, Lisa M
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.