Investigating how marijuana use during pregnancy affects the placenta and infant development
Official title: Placental Genomics in the Developmental Consequences of Marijuana Use in Pregnancy
Funded at Miriam Hospital · NIH-11091997 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how using marijuana during pregnancy affects the placenta and could impact your baby's brain development, with the goal of finding ways to better protect babies from any harm.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Miriam Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $670,620 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA056787-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11091997 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant women who use marijuana, particularly those from underserved communities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or who have not used marijuana during pregnancy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding the effects of prenatal marijuana use on the placenta and its implications for infant neurodevelopment. By examining genomic pathways in the placenta, the study aims to identify biomarkers that indicate fetal harm and develop new screening tools and interventions. The research is particularly relevant given the increasing rates of cannabis use among pregnant women, especially in underserved populations. The findings could lead to better protective measures for infants exposed to cannabis in utero.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved screening and intervention strategies for infants affected by prenatal cannabis exposure.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results in understanding the effects of prenatal substance exposure, but this specific genomic approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Miriam Hospital
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stroud, Laura R — Miriam Hospital
- Study coordinator: Stroud, Laura R
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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.