How patients, partners, and providers shape postpartum contraception and timing of the next pregnancy
Official title: Patient, Partner, and Provider Determinants of Postpartum Contraception and Inter-Pregnancy Intervals
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11294201 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores what influences postpartum contraceptive choices and how long people wait to get pregnant again after giving birth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2025 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $656,279 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD117463-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11294201 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people who recently gave birth and their partners, along with postpartum care providers at participating clinics.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not in the postpartum period or who receive care outside the participating clinics or geographic area are unlikely to directly participate or benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers will collect information from people who recently gave birth, their partners, and their health care providers about contraception decisions, birth spacing, mental health, alcohol use, sleep, and access to care. They will use surveys, interviews, and medical record review over time to track who uses contraception and when subsequent pregnancies occur. The team will examine clinic workflows and counseling practices to identify barriers to patient-centered postpartum contraception. Results will be used to suggest ways clinics and providers can better support healthier intervals between pregnancies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help reduce short interpregnancy intervals and related risks like preterm birth by improving postpartum counseling and care.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows many postpartum patients miss comprehensive contraception counseling and experience short intervals between pregnancies, so this project builds on known gaps rather than testing a completely novel intervention.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bailey, Stacy C — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Bailey, Stacy C
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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.