Personalized care to reduce stress and prevent early births
Official title: Personalized care for prenatal stress reduction and preterm birth prevention
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10856908 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a special program designed to help pregnant women, especially Black women at higher risk for preterm birth, manage stress better to help prevent early deliveries, and it includes tools, support, and financial help for those who need it.
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 | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $651,209 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MD017947-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10856908 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant women, especially those who identify as Black and are experiencing high levels of stress.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or those who do not experience significant stress may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a personalized program called UNC PTBCARE+ aimed at reducing stress during pregnancy to prevent preterm births. It will involve a randomized controlled trial with 1,509 pregnant patients, particularly targeting Black women who are at a higher risk for preterm birth. The program includes a stress reduction toolkit, psychosocial support, and financial assistance for those who need it. The effectiveness of these interventions will be measured through surveys and biological markers to assess stress levels and the incidence of preterm births.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly lower the rates of preterm births among high-risk pregnant patients by effectively managing stress.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in using personalized interventions to reduce stress and improve pregnancy outcomes, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
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.