Southern Center for Maternal Health: Improving Mississippian and Louisianan Maternal Care
Official title: Southern Center for Maternal Health
Funded at Tulane University of Louisiana · NIH-11401150 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A nationwide-scale effort in the Gulf South to boost access to high-quality maternal care and reduce pregnancy-related health problems for women in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tulane University of Louisiana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $3,702,138 |
| NIH project number | 5U54HD113159-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401150 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women of reproductive age in Louisiana and Mississippi, particularly those facing barriers to maternal care.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals outside the Gulf South or without relevant maternal health needs may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This program builds a dedicated research center embedded in local communities to study and implement proven strategies for better pregnancy health. It brings together Tulane, Ochsner, and Praxis Project to combine epidemiology, health policy, and clinical outcomes research with on-the-ground care improvements. The center will focus on understanding barriers to care, testing real-world implementations, and translating successful approaches into policy and practice. Participants may be involved through partnerships, community input, and potential future research activities tied to maternal health services.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience better access to care, improved pregnancy outcomes, and evidence-based policies that support healthier pregnancies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that community-informed, policy-aligned approaches can improve maternal health outcomes when implemented in real-world settings.
Where this research is happening
-
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harville, Emily Wheeler — Tulane University of Louisiana
- Study coordinator: Harville, Emily Wheeler
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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.