OVAL: How laws about drug use in pregnancy affect pregnant and new mothers who use drugs
Official title: OVAL: Overdoses Among pregnant/postpartum Women and Laws Governing Drug Use in Pregnancy: A Mixed-Methods Project
Funded at Morehouse School of Medicine · NIH-11415769 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A nationwide project is looking at how laws about drug use in pregnancy influence health for pregnant and postpartum women who use drugs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Morehouse School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $670,833 |
| NIH project number | 5U54HD113292-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415769 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant or postpartum women who use drugs in the United States and are affected by state drug-use-in-pregnancy laws.
✕Less likely to help
Women not impacted by state laws or not using drugs during pregnancy may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project examines the impact of state laws on overdose and health services for pregnant and postpartum women who use drugs. It uses a mixed-methods approach to understand experiences, policies, and outcomes. The goal is to identify which laws help or harm women and their babies, so clinicians and policymakers can improve care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, results could inform better policies and clinical practices that improve maternal health and reduce overdose risk for this population.
How similar studies have gone: There is some evidence linking punitive laws to adverse health outcomes, but more comprehensive, mixed-methods data are needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Morehouse School of Medicine
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cooper, Hannah Lf — Morehouse School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Cooper, Hannah Lf
Related research
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Overdoses in pregnancy and postpartum: how laws about drug use affect care
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-
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LA-MOM: Long-Acting HIV ART in Pregnancy and After Birth
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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.