How stress, cravings, and hormones affect returning to cannabis after childbirth
Official title: The Impact of Stress and Craving on Return to Postpartum Cannabis Use
Funded at Medical University of South Carolina · NIH-11166356 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will learn how stress, cravings, and changing hormone levels relate to women returning to cannabis use after having a baby.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2002 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $220,220 |
| NIH project number | 5U54DA016511-23 |
| Project ID | NIH-11166356 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are pregnant or recently postpartum women who used cannabis before pregnancy and reduced or stopped use during pregnancy.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant or postpartum, who have never used cannabis, or who need immediate treatment for heavy current cannabis dependence may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
You would be followed from late pregnancy into the months after birth with regular check-ins. Researchers will ask about stress, mood, sleep, and cravings and will measure hormone levels, including progesterone, over time. They will track if and when women resume cannabis use and link those patterns to stress and hormone changes. The information is intended to reveal patterns that could guide ways to prevent return to use after childbirth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to targeted supports or treatments to help new mothers avoid returning to cannabis use and improve newborn and maternal health.
How similar studies have gone: Small prior studies suggest progesterone may reduce relapse to tobacco and cocaine, but it has not yet been tested specifically for postpartum cannabis return.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Guille, Constance — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Guille, Constance
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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.