Understanding how pregnancy affects drug use behaviors in women

Elucidating Mechanisms of Pregnancy's Protective Effect on Drug Abuse Using Integrated Data Analysis

NIH-funded research Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11242866

This study looks at how being pregnant can help women cut down on smoking and using other drugs, and it aims to understand why this happens so that better support can be offered to pregnant women trying to quit.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionMassachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11242866 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates the protective effects of pregnancy on women's tobacco and other drug use, exploring how addictive behaviors are temporarily reduced during this period. By analyzing existing datasets, the study aims to identify the mechanisms behind this phenomenon, focusing on the impact of pregnancy events and developmental influences on smoking behavior. The research will also examine the role of prenatal reflective functioning, which may help in developing effective smoking cessation interventions for pregnant women.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research include pregnant women who are currently using tobacco or other drugs.

Not a fit: Patients who are not pregnant or who do not use tobacco or other drugs may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for helping pregnant women reduce or quit drug use, improving maternal and child health outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that pregnancy can influence substance use behaviors, but this study aims to provide novel insights that have not been extensively explored.

Where this research is happening

Boston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions addictive disorder
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.