Stress management and parenting training for prenatal care in Puerto Rico
Official title: Stress Management and Response Training for Prenatal Evaluation and Parenting (SMART-PREP)
Funded at Ponce School of Medicine · NIH-11362989 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large randomized trial will test whether a virtual prenatal education program focused on stress reduction helps mothers and babies in Puerto Rico compared with standard programs and usual care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ponce School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ponce, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | February 28, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $776,071 |
| NIH project number | 1R01MD020419-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11362989 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals receiving prenatal care in Puerto Rico, especially in settings with limited healthcare access and service interruptions.
✕Less likely to help
Participants who do not experience certain stress-related risk factors or who do not complete the program may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a virtual prenatal education program called Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) to see if it improves perinatal and early child outcomes in areas with healthcare challenges. It will compare MBCP to a Lamaze-based program and usual care in 300 pregnant individuals receiving prenatal care in Puerto Rico. The study measures how reducing stress during pregnancy affects physiological and developmental outcomes for both caregivers and infants, with follow-up during early infancy. The trial is designed to identify scalable, real-world strategies that healthcare systems can implement despite service interruptions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could provide a scalable way to reduce stress-related risks during pregnancy and improve infant development in underserved communities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research suggests stress-reduction approaches can improve perinatal outcomes, but this trial tests a scalable virtual model in a high-need setting.
Where this research is happening
-
Ponce School of Medicine
Ponce, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rodriguez, Mary — Ponce School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Rodriguez, Mary
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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.