Training obstetric clinicians to reduce ableism and improve pregnancy care for people with disabilities
Official title: A Continuing Education Intervention to Address Ableism Among Obstetric Clinicians Providing Perinatal Care
Funded at Brandeis University · NIH-11162505 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program creates online training to help obstetric clinicians provide more respectful, accessible, and supportive care for pregnant people with disabilities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brandeis University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Waltham, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $672,236 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD116322-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11162505 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant people or those planning pregnancy who have physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities and receive obstetric care from participating clinicians are the primary beneficiaries.
✕Less likely to help
People whose clinicians do not take the training or whose care needs fall entirely outside obstetric services are unlikely to see direct benefit from this intervention.
What this research studies
Researchers will co-design an online continuing-education course with disabled parents and obstetric clinicians to teach inclusive communication, accessible clinical practices, and strategies to remove discriminatory barriers. The training will cover use of accessible equipment, respectful decision-making, and culturally sensitive care for disabled people, including those who are multiply marginalized. The course will be offered through continuing medical education channels and tested with obstetric clinicians to refine content and delivery. The overall aim is to change clinician attitudes and routines so routine prenatal, birth, and postpartum care is safer and more welcoming for disabled pregnant people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the training could make prenatal, labor, and postpartum care more respectful, accessible, and safer for pregnant people with disabilities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has documented care gaps and recommendations, but formal continuing-education programs specifically targeting ableism in obstetrics are novel and have had limited prior testing.
Where this research is happening
-
Brandeis University
Waltham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mitra, Monika — Brandeis University
- Study coordinator: Mitra, Monika
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.