Understanding how stress affects small blood vessels after gestational diabetes
Official title: The role of oxidative stress in reduced microvascular function after gestational diabetes
Funded at University of Iowa · NIH-11126617 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores how stress in tiny blood vessels might connect gestational diabetes to a higher chance of heart disease and type 2 diabetes in women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $616,424 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL169201-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11126617 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are women who have a history of gestational diabetes but are otherwise healthy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not had gestational diabetes or who already have advanced heart disease or type 2 diabetes may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Women who have had gestational diabetes face a higher risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes later on. We know that problems with very small blood vessels, called microvascular dysfunction, often come before these conditions. Our previous work suggests that increased oxidative stress, a type of imbalance in the body, contributes to these blood vessel issues. This project aims to understand exactly how oxidative stress affects the way these small blood vessels respond to insulin in women who previously had gestational diabetes. By understanding this connection, we hope to find new ways to protect these women's heart health and prevent future diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent or delay heart disease and type 2 diabetes in women who have had gestational diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: The underlying causes of this association are relatively unstudied, and there is a lack of trials for preventive interventions, making this a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Iowa
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stanhewicz, Anna — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Stanhewicz, Anna
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Pancreatic beta cells, oxidative stress, and gestational diabetes
A study is exploring how oxidative stress and changes in pancreatic beta cells during pregnancy may contribute to gestational diabetes and future diabetes risk for both mother and baby.
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Oxidative stress and tiny blood vessels after gestational diabetes
This study looks at why women who had gestational diabetes may have higher risk of heart and diabetes problems, by checking how oxidative stress affects tiny blood vessels.
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Investigating how oxidative stress affects blood vessel function after gestational diabetes
This study is looking at how stress in the body affects the small blood vessels of women who had gestational diabetes, to see if it can help us find ways to keep their hearts and blood sugar levels healthy in the future.
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Digital twins of the hypothalamus, placenta, and gut to help manage gestational diabetes
A study using computer-based models of a pregnant person’s brain, placenta, and gut to better understand how gestational diabetes develops and how to tailor treatments.
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IGF factors and binding proteins in gestational diabetes and fetal growth
A study in pregnant people looks at how insulin-like growth factors and their binding proteins affect gestational diabetes and how a baby grows.
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STRONG group prenatal care to reduce gestational diabetes in American Samoa
A Yale-led program tests a group prenatal care approach to lower gestational diabetes among pregnant Pacific Islander women in American Samoa.
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.