UT Houston Maternal-Fetal Medicine Network
Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network (UG1)
A multi-hospital program that collects pregnancy and birth information and runs clinical trials to improve care for pregnant people and newborns, especially in diverse communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11310000 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you enroll, you'll be asked to share health information during pregnancy and after delivery and you may be invited to join clinical trials or long-term follow-up. The Houston site recruits from three hospitals with about 11,000 combined births yearly and a high proportion of people from underrepresented minority groups. The team uses standardized, prospective data collection across multiple centers and randomized trials to answer important questions about labor, delivery, and newborn health. Results are shared across the network to help change practice and improve outcomes, including during public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people receiving care at the participating hospitals (especially those early in pregnancy or presenting for delivery), including many from underrepresented minority groups, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, who will not deliver at a participating hospital, or who need treatments outside the network's research activities are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the network could lead to clearer, evidence-based pregnancy care and safer outcomes for mothers and babies, particularly in underserved populations.
How similar studies have performed: The MFMU Network has a long history of producing influential, practice-changing obstetrics trials, so this program builds on a proven track record.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mendez-Figueroa, Hector — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Mendez-Figueroa, Hector
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.