Investigating the causes of early pregnancy loss using stem cell models
Official title: Multispecies investigation of early pregnancy loss mechanisms using bioengineered stem cell models
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11084279 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking into why many early pregnancies end in loss by using special lab models to see how certain signals affect embryo development, and it’s designed to help anyone interested in understanding more about early pregnancy and what might go wrong.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $33,922 |
| NIH project number | 5F31HD112117-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11084279 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss or are undergoing fertility treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not planning to conceive or those with no history of pregnancy loss may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to understand the mechanisms behind early pregnancy loss, which affects nearly 60% of human conceptions. By utilizing bioengineered stem cell models, the study will explore how specific signaling pathways, particularly WNT/β-catenin, influence the development of the embryo during the critical implantation phase. The research will compare these processes across different mammalian species to identify unique aspects of human embryonic development. This approach addresses significant gaps in knowledge that have hindered progress in understanding pregnancy loss.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and potential interventions for early pregnancy loss.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been research on pregnancy loss, this specific approach using bioengineered stem cell models to compare species is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abel, Ashley — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Abel, Ashley
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How air pollution during pregnancy affects fetal growth over time
This study looks at how air pollution affects the growth of babies in the womb during pregnancy, using ultrasound images to track changes over time, and it aims to help expectant parents understand when their babies might be most at risk from pollution.
-
Postoperative Pain Guidelines for Pregnancy: Safer, Patient-Centered Opioid Use
We’re creating patient-friendly guidelines to help doctors manage pain after delivery and surgery in pregnant people, aiming to reduce opioid overuse and improve safety.
-
HPV and pregnancy risk: a big study following 1,280 pregnancies
A large pregnancy study at UTMB looks at whether human papillomavirus (HPV) during pregnancy is linked to problems like preterm birth.
-
Understanding how where you live and personal factors during pregnancy affect a child’s risk for obesity and metabolic problems
This project looks at how neighborhood conditions and individual factors during pregnancy may influence a child’s risk of obesity and metabolic health as they grow.
-
Blocking cancer-causing cMYC tricks after pregnancy changes in the breast
Researchers are testing how pregnancy and aging reshape the breast before cancer risk, using patient-reinformed models to see if it changes how dangerous cMYC signals behave.
-
SSRI use during pregnancy: effects on placental blood flow and inflammation
This grant studies how antidepressants (SSRIs) used during pregnancy might affect the placenta and inflammation, and whether a 5-HT2 receptor blocker could mitigate any negative effects.
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.