VoiceLove: Remote voice connections to support new parents of NICU babies
Official title: VoiceLove: NICU Utilization of Remote voice Technology to improve mateRnalExperience (NURTURE)
Funded at Voicelove INC. · NIH-11521905 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program using remote voice technology to help new mothers and families stay emotionally connected with their baby in the NICU to reduce postpartum depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Voicelove INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scarsdale, United States) |
| Project start | April 12, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,079,845 |
| NIH project number | 6R42MH135602-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11521905 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Parents of newborns admitted to the NICU who experience limited physical contact with their baby.
✕Less likely to help
Families without NICU admission or with no barriers to parent–infant contact may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses a remote voice communication system to help mothers feel connected to their hospitalized infant when in-person contact is limited. It aims to strengthen parent–provider communication and social support to improve parental well-being during the NICU stay. By enhancing voice-based interactions when physical contact isn’t possible, the approach seeks to reduce depressive symptoms and support family bonding.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lessen parental stress and depression by strengthening bonding with the infant during NICU stays.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests that increased communication and social support can improve parental well-being in the NICU, though voice-based solutions specifically are still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
Voicelove INC.
Scarsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Osmundson, Sarah Scheiderich — Voicelove INC.
- Study coordinator: Osmundson, Sarah Scheiderich
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.