How stress-related wear-and-tear and DNA marks affect heart health during and after pregnancy
Allostatic Load and the DNA Methylome: Implications for Cardiovascular Health in Pregnancy and Beyond
This project looks at whether chronic stress during pregnancy, measured by allostatic load and DNA methylation in blood, connects to higher risk of later heart problems for women who had hypertensive pregnancies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173781 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use existing data and blood samples from women enrolled in the Heart Health Study I and II, collected 2–12 years after their index pregnancy. They will quantify allostatic load (a set of physiological stress markers) and measure DNA methylation patterns in stored blood specimens. Those biological measures will be compared to later cardiovascular outcomes including new high blood pressure and carotid artery thickness. Analyses will compare women who experienced hypertensive disorders of pregnancy with those who did not to see if stress-related biology helps explain increased heart risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women who delivered a pregnancy 2–12 years ago and who are enrolled in the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Heart Health Study I or II, especially those who had hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, are the ideal candidates for this research.
Not a fit: People without a pregnancy history, men, or women who are not part of the HHS1/HHS2 cohorts or who lack stored biospecimens would not directly participate or benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify biological signals linking pregnancy stress to later heart disease, which might support earlier monitoring or targeted prevention for women with hypertensive pregnancies.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have shown that hypertensive disorders in pregnancy raise later cardiovascular risk and that allostatic load relates to CVD, but applying DNA methylation as a predictive marker in this specific post-pregnancy context is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ray, Mitali — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Ray, Mitali
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 below.