Iodized salt for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to support babies' brain development in rural Ethiopia
Official title: Effect of iodized salt in pregnancy and lactation on infant neurodevelopment in rural Ethiopia
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11392837 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project gives iodized salt to pregnant and breastfeeding women in rural Ethiopia to see if it helps their babies' early brain, attention, and motor development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $205,127 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HD107475-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11392837 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant or breastfeeding women living in rural areas with mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency in Ethiopia, especially those in their third trimester or who plan to breastfeed, are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
Women living where iodine intake is already adequate or infants whose developmental problems stem from non-iodine causes may not gain benefit from this intervention.
What this research studies
If you join, you would be randomly assigned as part of a larger trial that is already giving some women monthly iodized salt and other nutrition supports during pregnancy. This award adds a lactation component in a 2x2 factorial design so some women will also receive iodized salt support while breastfeeding. The study will follow babies after birth and use simple developmental tests of attention, motor skills, language, and memory and collect breast milk and biological samples. Study staff will visit regularly to provide the salt package and do follow-up measurements for you and your child.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, ensuring mothers get enough iodine during pregnancy and breastfeeding could improve infants' early brain development and learning skills.
How similar studies have gone: Iodine supplements clearly help babies when mothers have severe deficiency, but the benefits in mild-to-moderate deficiency and during breastfeeding are not well established and need more study.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cherkerzian, Sara — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Cherkerzian, Sara
Related research
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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.