Optimizing Sleep-Linked Strategies to Support Healthy Weight and Heart Health in Pregnancy and Postpartum
Official title: Optimizing Maternal Health: Assessing Sleep-Based Strategy Enhancement of Diet, Physical Activity and Self-Regulation Interventions in Perinatal Health
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11404885 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project will look at how sleep-focused strategies added to diet, activity, and self-care plans during pregnancy and after childbirth might help new mothers keep a healthy weight and reduce heart-disease risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 3, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $574,468 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL176713-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404885 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant people and individuals up to one year postpartum who are enrolled in or eligible for perinatal weight-management and lifestyle interventions.
✕Less likely to help
People not engaged in perinatal weight-management programs or with conditions that preclude typical weight-management strategies may see little or no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses data from an existing study of pregnant people and new mothers to see if improving sleep can boost the benefits of weight, activity, and self-regulation programs. It analyzes how sleep patterns relate to weight and heart-health outcomes during pregnancy and up to one year after birth. The researchers will combine existing trial data to explore whether sleep-focused approaches can enhance perinatal health recommendations. The aim is to inform clinical guidance for preventive care in perinatal populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could strengthen guidelines to reduce heart-disease risk for women after pregnancy by integrating sleep health into weight and lifestyle programs.
How similar studies have gone: Previous perinatal lifestyle programs show modest weight-management benefits; this work builds on existing data to test sleep-centered enhancements.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hawkins, Marquis S — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Hawkins, Marquis S
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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.