New Grants Boost Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence as NIH Continues to Fight Pregnancy-Related Complications and Inequalities

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recently expanded its Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence with the awarding of two new grants. These centers were launched last year as part of NIH’s IMPROVE initiative, which aims to reduce pregnancy-related complications and deaths and promote maternal health equity. The expansion was made possible by an increase in funding in the fiscal year 2024 federal budget.

The two new research centers are located at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Each center received approximately $2 million in first-year funding, and the grants are expected to last for six years. At the University of Pittsburgh, Dara Mendez, Ph.D., will lead the Equity in Maternal and Birthing Outcomes and Reproductive Health through Community Engagement project. Meanwhile, Rachel Caskey, M.D., will lead the UIC Maternal Health Research Center of Excellence.

With these additions, the Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence now consist of 12 research centers, a data innovation and coordinating hub, and an implementation science hub. These institutions collaborate with community partners to design and implement research projects that address various factors affecting pregnancy-related complications and deaths, such as biological, behavioral, environmental, sociocultural, and structural factors. Their work focuses on populations that experience health disparities, including racial and ethnic minorities, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, those living in rural areas with limited access to healthcare services, and people with disabilities.

The IMPROVE initiative is co-led by NICHD (National Institute for Child Health Development), the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), with involvement from other NIH institutes, centers