Planning to study geophagy in pregnant mothers and how it could affect children’s brain development
Official title: Planning Grant: Developing the Research Capacity to Investigate the Practice of Geophagy Among Pregnant Mothers and Impacts on Children's Neurodevelopment
Funded at Oregon State University · NIH-11418360 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant plans to build capacity to study how pregnant mothers eating earth in sub-Saharan Africa may influence their children’s neurodevelopment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Corvallis, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $78,053 |
| NIH project number | 5R21TW013293-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11418360 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
HIV-negative peripartum mothers in sub-Saharan Africa and their children, with interest in participating in future studies on maternal geophagy and child development.
✕Less likely to help
Results may not directly benefit mothers or children in the immediate planning phase; the study emphasizes capacity building and methodology.
What this research studies
This planning grant aims to strengthen research collaboration between Oregon State University and partners in Ndola, Zambia, to measure how geophagy and exposure to heavy metals during pregnancy could affect a child's brain development. The team will train local researchers to use the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development to assess neurodevelopment in children. The project will enroll 200 HIV-negative peripartum mothers and examine geophagy practices, metal exposure, and potential effects on offspring development. The focus is on building local capacity and establishing methods for future, larger studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better understanding of risks associated with geophagy during pregnancy and inform interventions to protect child neurodevelopment.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked maternal soil/clay ingestion to exposure to heavy metals and potential neurodevelopmental impacts, though this specific capacity-building planning grant is exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Oregon State University
Corvallis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rothenberg, Sarah E — Oregon State University
- Study coordinator: Rothenberg, Sarah E
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.