Pregnancy decision support for women with developmental disabilities that affect thinking
Understanding and Supporting Reproductive Decisions Among Women with Developmental Disabilities that Affect Cognition
This project will create an easy-to-use pregnancy decision tool to help women with developmental disabilities that affect thinking make informed choices about trying to get pregnant or preventing pregnancy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11171563 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will talk with women who have developmental disabilities that affect cognition, their caregivers, and clinicians to learn what information and supports are most needed for pregnancy planning. They will use those findings to design clear, accessible materials and a decision-support tool tailored to how these women best understand and use information. The team will refine the tool with input from participants and pilot the resources to see how understandable and usable they are. The work focuses on making information trustworthy, relatable, and practical for everyday decision-making about pregnancy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women of reproductive age who have developmental disabilities that affect thinking, decision-making, or understanding, and who want information about pregnancy planning or contraception are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without developmental disabilities that affect cognition, or those who need intensive medical treatments rather than decision-support resources, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could help women with cognitive-impacting developmental disabilities make more informed reproductive choices and potentially improve maternal and child health outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Tailored decision-support tools for this specific population are rare, so this approach is relatively novel though educational interventions in other groups have shown mixed results.
Where this research is happening
Portland, United States
- Oregon Health & Science University — Portland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Horner-Johnson, Willi — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Horner-Johnson, Willi
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 below.