Personalized care to reduce prenatal stress and prevent preterm birth
Official title: Personalized care for prenatal stress reduction and preterm birth prevention
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11313825 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A personalized, multistep program helps pregnant people reduce stress and lower the chance of having a baby who is born too early.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $641,252 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MD017947-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11313825 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals at risk for preterm birth who consent to participate and are eligible for the UNC PTBCARE+ program.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not experience a meaningful reduction in stress or a change in preterm birth risk based on individual factors.
What this research studies
The UNC PTBCARE+ program aims to lower perinatal stress through a three-tier approach, including a stress-reduction toolkit and a PTB Care Coordinator for all participants, with additional psychosocial and monetary supports for those who screen positive. The study will enroll 1,509 pregnant patients in a randomized trial to see if these supports reduce stress measured by surveys and biomarkers and decrease preterm births before 35 weeks. Researchers will also explore which components work best and whether results differ by race. This work focuses on improving access to care and maternal well-being to prevent PTB, especially among Black pregnant patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce stress during pregnancy and lower the risk of preterm birth, improving outcomes for mothers and babies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research suggests that psychosocial support and stress-reduction strategies can influence PTB risk, but this program tests a tailored, tiered approach in a diverse population.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Manuck, Tracy a. — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Manuck, Tracy a.
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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.