How public health crises change pregnancy and child health over time

Reproductive and Child Health Trajectories in the Context of Public Health Crises

NIH-funded research University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11193291

This project follows women and their young children in Brazil to see how epidemics and other health shocks shape pregnancies, births, and child wellbeing over several years.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Pennsylvania NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Philadelphia, United States)
Project IDNIH-11193291 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be part of a multi-year follow-up that combines surveys, interviews, and population data to track women's reproductive choices and children's health through and after public health crises. The team is extending an existing three-year panel study in Brazil for additional years to capture longer-term effects. Researchers link personal experiences with community-level timing of epidemics and access to healthcare to understand short- and long-term impacts. The study uses both numbers and personal stories so the findings reflect what actually happens to families during and after crises.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Women of reproductive age in the Brazilian communities enrolled in the panel, and parents of young children, are the ideal candidates for participation.

Not a fit: People who are not women of reproductive age, live outside the study communities in Brazil, or need immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to gain direct benefit from joining this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help shape programs and policies that better protect pregnant women and young children during future public health emergencies.

How similar studies have performed: This is relatively novel work because few long-term, mixed-method panel studies have tracked women's reproductive trajectories through successive public health crises in South America.

Where this research is happening

Philadelphia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.