Date Posted: September 18, 2024

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NIH has announced the final winners of its  Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge. Eight nonprofit organizations will share approximately $1.5 million in cash prizes for their efforts to develop, implement, and conduct research projects to improve maternal health outcomes in their communities.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) sponsored the 2-year challenge as part of NIH’s  Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative, which seeks to reduce preventable causes of maternal deaths and improve maternal health before, during, and after pregnancy.  IMPROVE is an NIH-wide initiative led by NICHD, ORWH, and the National Institute of Nursing Research.

“Strong community engagement in research is crucial to address the maternal health needs and priorities of diverse and disproportionately affected groups,” said Diana W. Bianchi, M.D., director of NIH’s  NICHD. “This challenge encouraged community-based organizations to develop the infrastructure and capabilities to conduct research to reduce pregnancy-related complications and deaths in the communities they serve.”

Nurturely of Eugene, Oregon, received first place for “Carrying for the Culture: An Infant Carrying Intervention for Health Equity,” a project that tested the impact of an infant carrying intervention on lactation and postpartum depression among Black parents. The team is beginning recruitment for a randomized controlled trial to assess whether using an infant carrier after birth can decrease symptoms of postpartum depression and increase lactation.

Central Jersey Family Health Consortium of North Brunswick, New Jersey, was awarded second place for their project, “Can It Happen to Me? Developing a Pre-Pregnancy Maternal Morbidity Risk Algorithm.” The team’s algorithm shows promise for predicting risk for severe pregnancy-related complications based on pre-pregnancy medical records.  

To learn more about additional award winners and their research, access a  recording of their presentations at the July 11, 2024 Connecting the Community Research Showcase or review the winner announcement