Pregnancy and postpartum harms from overdoses, self-harm, and violence
Official title: Pregnancy-associated mortality and morbidity due to drugs, self-harm, and violence in the United States
Funded at Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences · NIH-11385681 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how drug overdoses, suicide attempts, and assaults affect people during pregnancy and the first year after birth across multiple U.S. states.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $500,000 |
| NIH project number | 2R56HD102319-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11385681 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
The focus is on people who are pregnant or within one year after delivery, especially those with substance use, mental-health crises, or exposure to violence, and who live or receive care in the states included in the project.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant or postpartum, who live outside the U.S., or whose health issues are unrelated to overdose, self-harm, or violence are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
The team will track deaths and nonfatal events (drug overdoses, suicidal behavior, and assaults) that occur during pregnancy and the first postpartum year across several U.S. states. Researchers will analyze state vital records, hospital and emergency department data, and other large datasets to count events and map trends over time and by geography and individual characteristics. They will compare multi-state findings to previous California results and examine how area-level factors like healthcare availability relate to these harms. The goal is to pinpoint high-risk populations and places where prevention and services could be strengthened.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help direct prevention programs and healthcare resources to reduce overdoses, self-harm, and violence affecting pregnant and postpartum people.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work by the team in California found far more nonfatal overdoses, suicide attempts, and assaults than deaths during pregnancy and postpartum, but comparable multi-state data are still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences
East Lansing, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Margerison, Claire E — Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Margerison, Claire E
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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.