Massachusetts center for birth defects and stillbirth prevention
Massachusetts Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention: Birth Defects Study To Evaluate Pregnancy exposureS (BD STEPS Core and Stillbirth)
This project looks at pregnancy exposures to find things people can avoid to lower the risk of structural birth defects and stillbirth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts State Dept of Pub Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11137552 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers will use existing national birth-defect data plus new information collected by BD-STEPS to study what during pregnancy might raise the chance of a birth defect or stillbirth. They link interview data, health records, and other data sources and apply pharmacoepidemiology methods to compare pregnancies with and without birth defects. The team will complete at least seven focused projects over the grant period, including work on medications and bariatric surgery. They also partner with local universities to train new researchers who can help translate findings into clearer guidance for pregnant people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who are pregnant or were recently pregnant — especially those whose pregnancy was affected by a structural birth defect or stillbirth — are most likely to be eligible for related data collection or follow-up.
Not a fit: People not currently pregnant or those seeking immediate medical treatment for an existing birth defect in a child are unlikely to get direct benefit from this observational research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could give clearer, evidence-based guidance to pregnant people and their clinicians about which medications, procedures, or other exposures are safer during pregnancy.
How similar studies have performed: Large prior efforts such as the National Birth Defects Prevention Study have successfully identified links between some pregnancy exposures and birth defect risks, so this work builds on established approaches.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts State Dept of Pub Health — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yazdy, Mahsa M — Massachusetts State Dept of Pub Health
- Study coordinator: Yazdy, Mahsa M
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.