How prolactin affects heart adaptation during and after pregnancy
Official title: Prolactin receptor signaling regulates adaptation of the heart during pregnancy and postpartum
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-10802415 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a specific hormone receptor in the heart helps it cope with the changes that happen during and after pregnancy, aiming to find ways to improve heart health for new moms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | March 8, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $194,161 |
| NIH project number | 5R21HD111996-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10802415 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are women who are pregnant or have recently given birth.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or have not recently given birth may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the prolactin receptor (PRLR) signaling in the heart helps it adapt to the physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The study aims to understand the role of lactogenic hormones in regulating heart function during these critical times. By examining the signaling pathways activated by PRLR in heart cells, researchers hope to uncover new insights into how the heart adjusts to the demands of pregnancy and recovers afterward. This could lead to better understanding and management of heart health in new mothers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved heart health strategies for women during and after pregnancy.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific role of PRLR signaling in the heart during pregnancy is novel, related research has shown success in understanding hormonal impacts on other maternal tissues.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Young, Martin E — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Young, Martin E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
CREBRF gene and diabetes risk in American Samoan pregnancies
This project follows 350 pregnant American Samoan women to understand how a specific gene variant may influence diabetes risk during and after pregnancy.
-
Healthy Families-PrEP: helping women in Uganda start and stay on PrEP during periconception, pregnancy, and postpartum
A program in Uganda helps periconception, pregnant, and postpartum women use PrEP safely to prevent HIV, with support sessions and monitoring.
-
Healthy Families-PrEP: helping pregnant and new mothers in Uganda stay HIV-free
A family-focused program in Uganda tests an approach to help women who are planning pregnancy or are pregnant or postpartum use PrEP to prevent HIV infection.
-
LA-MOM: Long-Acting HIV ART in Pregnancy and After Birth
This study follows pregnant people with HIV who receive long-acting injectable HIV medicines to understand how the drugs behave in the body, how they reach the baby, and what patients experience during pregnancy and after birth.
-
Effects of prescription opioid use during pregnancy on a mother's brain after birth
This project looks at how taking prescription opioids during pregnancy changes a mother's brain and behavior after her baby is born.
-
PrEP in Pregnancy and Postpartum Data Hub
A patient-friendly data-sharing project that brings together information from many pregnancy and postpartum PrEP studies to better understand HIV prevention for mothers and their babies.
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.