Trouble getting pregnant and what it may mean for your future heart and metabolic health
Impaired fecundity and future health: a prospective investigation of pregnancy planners in North America and Denmark
This project follows couples trying to conceive to learn whether difficulty becoming pregnant is linked to later heart, diabetes, or autoimmune problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11515153 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are combining two large online groups of people who began trying to get pregnant in Denmark, the U.S., and Canada to follow them over time. Participants complete questionnaires and provide partner information, and researchers will link those data to health outcomes like heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune conditions. With more than 39,000 people already enrolled, the study compares those who conceive quickly with those who have more trouble while accounting for factors like BMI and biological markers. The goal is to determine whether reproductive problems appear before other health problems and could signal higher future risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults in the U.S., Canada, or Denmark who are planning pregnancy (and their partners) are the ideal candidates to participate.
Not a fit: People who are not trying to conceive or whose health concerns are unrelated to reproductive function are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors spot people at higher risk for heart disease or diabetes earlier so they can get targeted monitoring or prevention.
How similar studies have performed: Previous retrospective and smaller prospective studies have found links between fertility problems and later cardiometabolic risk, but large prospective data starting when couples begin trying to conceive have been limited.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eisenberg, Michael L — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Eisenberg, Michael L
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.