How HIV-related vaginal viruses may affect early births in pregnant South African women
Official title: Influence of HIV infection on vaginal virome and risk of preterm birth in pregnant South African women
Funded at Seattle Children's Hospital · NIH-11176710 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether differences in vaginal viruses in pregnant women with HIV help explain their higher chances of having a preterm birth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $729,641 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD106821-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11176710 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant women in the study region (South Africa) both living with HIV and without HIV who are willing to provide vaginal samples and pregnancy outcome information.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant or who live outside the study sites in South Africa would not be eligible and are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this study.
What this research studies
You would be asked to provide vaginal swabs and health information during pregnancy so the team can compare the types and amounts of viruses in the vagina of women with and without HIV. The researchers will sequence viral and bacterial genetic material, measure signs of inflammation, and track pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth. They will also compare women on different antiretroviral treatments to see if medications or HIV itself relate to viral changes and birth risk. The goal is to connect viral patterns to early labor and point to ways to lower preterm birth risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify viral or inflammatory targets that lead to new strategies to reduce preterm births among pregnant women with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked changes in vaginal bacteria and the gut virome to preterm birth and HIV-related inflammation, but examining the vaginal virome specifically in pregnant women with HIV is largely new.
Where this research is happening
-
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jaspan, Heather Beryl — Seattle Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Jaspan, Heather Beryl
Related research
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How HIV affects vaginal viruses and preterm birth risk in pregnant South African women
This project looks at whether HIV changes the mix of viruses in the vagina and whether those changes are linked to earlier births among pregnant women in South Africa.
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How HIV affects vaginal viruses and the risk of early birth in pregnant women in South Africa
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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.