Using hormone therapy to help new mothers avoid smoking relapse
Official title: Modifying Progesterone and Estradiol Levels to Prevent Postpartum Cigarette Smoking Relapse and Reduce Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Infants and Children
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-10861712 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how giving new moms a hormone called progesterone might help them avoid smoking again after having a baby, making it easier for them to stay smoke-free and protect their little ones from secondhand smoke.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $616,749 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD100418-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10861712 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are postpartum women who have previously quit smoking during pregnancy but are at risk of relapse.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not postpartum or who have never smoked may not receive any benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how modifying hormone levels, specifically progesterone and estradiol, can help prevent new mothers from relapsing into cigarette smoking after childbirth. The study aims to deliver progesterone to postpartum women to reduce cravings and improve smoking abstinence rates. By understanding the hormonal influences on addictive behaviors, the research seeks to provide a safe intervention that could benefit both mothers and their children by reducing secondhand smoke exposure. Participants will be monitored for their smoking habits and health outcomes over a period of time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce smoking relapse rates in postpartum women, leading to better health outcomes for both mothers and their infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results with hormone therapies in reducing smoking relapse, indicating that this approach may be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Allen, Sharon S — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Allen, Sharon S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Helping new mothers avoid smoking after childbirth
This project looks at whether adjusting hormone levels can help new mothers stay smoke-free after their baby is born, protecting both mom and child.
-
Promoting Breastfeeding to Prevent Postpartum Smoking Relapse
A trial tests whether encouraging new mothers to breastfeed helps prevent them from starting to smoke again after giving birth.
-
Using bupropion to help new mothers avoid smoking relapse after childbirth
This study is looking at how well bupropion can help women who quit smoking during pregnancy stay smoke-free after having their baby, especially during the tough postpartum period when many might start smoking again.
-
Social stress and smoking: why disadvantaged young adults struggle to quit
This grant looks at how daily social stress affects if and when disadvantaged young adults who smoke can quit and stay quit.
-
Understanding why lung cancer risk from smoking differs among populations
This grant looks at why people from different groups have different lung cancer risks from cigarette smoking and what genetic and biochemistry clues explain those differences.
-
Multi-omic insights into alcohol use disorder with and without smoking
A scientist team will study how DNA methylation and RNA patterns in brain tissue differ in people with alcohol use disorder, comparing those who smoke to those who don’t, to understand biology and potential drug targets.
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.