Investigating how marijuana use during pregnancy affects the placenta and infant development

Placental Genomics in the Developmental Consequences of Marijuana Use in Pregnancy

NIH-funded research Miriam Hospital · NIH-11091997

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 typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionMiriam Hospital NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Providence, United States)
Project IDNIH-11091997 on NIH RePORTER

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.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant women who use marijuana, particularly those from underserved communities.

Not a fit: Patients who are not pregnant or who have not used marijuana during pregnancy may not benefit from this research.

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 performed: 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

Providence, 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.
Conditions addictive disorder
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.