Preventing fetal heart block through early monitoring and treatment
Official title: Surveillance and Treatment to Prevent Fetal Atrioventricular Block Likely to Occur Quickly (STOP BLOQ)
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-10850840 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how to help prevent serious heart problems in unborn babies by having expectant moms check their baby's heart rate every day, so they can catch any issues early and get the right treatment in time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $632,925 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD100929-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10850840 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant women with high-titer anti-Ro autoantibodies during the second trimester.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have high-titer anti-Ro autoantibodies or are not in the second trimester may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on preventing fetal complete atrioventricular block (AVB) by monitoring fetal heart rhythms and providing early treatment. It involves daily heart rate monitoring by expectant mothers, with confirmation of any abnormal findings through echocardiograms. The study aims to identify a critical window for treatment when the fetal heart rhythm begins to show irregularities, potentially preventing severe complications. The research is conducted across multiple sites, combining expertise from fetal cardiology and rheumatology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the incidence of fetal atrioventricular block and improve outcomes for affected pregnancies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success with similar monitoring approaches in other contexts, indicating potential for this method to be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buyon, Jill P — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Buyon, Jill P
Related research
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This compares continuous 30-day remote ECG monitoring to standard short-term monitoring for adults after TAVI to see if it detects rhythm problems earlier.
-
Conduction system pacing vs. traditional pacing in adults with atrioventricular block
This study tests whether stimulating the heart’s conduction system can reduce heart failure events for adults needing pacemakers due to AV block.
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.