Obstetrics & Gynecology Research & Clinical Trials
NYU Langone Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates is dedicated to advancing our knowledge by conducting innovative . Participating in our research studies is completely voluntary, and will not affect your quality of care. Additionally, all health information shared during our studies is de-identified, which means participant information is not revealed to others outside the study.
For questions or more information, please reach out to the research coordinator associated with the research study you are interested in.
BLOOM (Biomarker Liquids Observation of Mother)
The goal of this study is to learn more about postpartum depression (PPD), a mental health condition that affects some people after they give birth. People with PPD can feel very sad, lose interest in things they used to enjoy, often feel guilty, have low self-esteem, and have trouble sleeping and thinking clearly. PPD can also affect how babies grow and develop. This study will help identify predictors of PPD in body fluids, including blood, saliva, and cerebrospinal fluid (the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord). After collecting these samples during delivery, we will study them for specific predictors of PPD.
Participant Role: Participants need to be scheduled for a cesarean delivery (a C-section). This is because collecting the samples we want to study is already a necessary part of this surgical procedure. After delivery, participants will periodically complete short online surveys. Then we will be able to predict, prevent, and treat these people to promote their and their children's mental health.
To learn more, please email Apolline Savarit at Apolline.Savarit
@NYULangone.org.
BUMP (Barriers and Understanding of Maternal Participation in Vaping Research)
The purpose of this study is to improve health outcomes among pregnant people who use products like nicotine and cannabis in research studies.
Participant role: Participants are asked to take part in a virtual one-hour interview with study staff. During the interview, participants will be asked to answer questions about being in research studies, recommendations for how to reach pregnant people who vape and may be interested in research, and other topics about using e-cigarettes or cannabis during pregnancy. Participants may be compensated up to $30.
To learn more, please contact Dr. Christina Wysota at 646-501-3592 or at Christina.Wysota@NYULangone.org.
Digi-Moms
The goal of this study is to better understand how providers and researchers can use data collected from digital health devices to monitor patients’ health during pregnancy. This study will help us identify those at the highest risk for conditions like gestational diabetes and high blood pressure related to pregnancy.
Participant Role: Participation in the study lasts 16 weeks. After the 28-week prenatal visit, participants begin wearing two digital devices for 14 days. For the first three days of this two-week period, participants should email a picture of their meals along with a completed questionnaire. Participants may be compensated up to $150.
To learn more, please contact Samika Hariharan at Samika.Hariharan
@NYULangone.org.
DOLPHIN (Developmental Origins of Longitudinal Perinatal Health and Infant Neurodevelopment)
The goal of this study is to better understand how to best support families from pregnancy through early childhood.
Participant Role: Participants will have three visits over six months. During these visits, participants have their blood drawn, complete questionnaires, and have a virtual interview with the study team. During the last visit, we will collect an EEG from the participant’s baby. Our EEG system is completely noninvasive and uses a small sensor net to record brain activity. Participants are compensated up to $350 for taking part in the study. Please note that patients at NYU Langone Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates can combine their first two study visits with their routine prenatal appointments.
To learn more, please email Anahid Akbaryan at ShuffreyLab@NYULangone.org.
ECHO (Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes)
The goal of this study is to learn how the environment affects child health and development. Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) is a nationwide research program supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Its mission is to enhance the health of future generations. These are some of the key topics related to the environment that we will study:
- the health of pregnant people and their babies before, during, and after pregnancy
- nutrition, physical activity, and weight-related illnesses
- child brain development, including the ability to think and understand, social development, speech, attention, behavior, and emotions
- breathing problems in children and breathing-related illnesses
- overall health
Participants are compensated $100 during pregnancy and $50 for each subsequent year.
To learn more, please email Farzana Ahmed at Farzana.Ahmed@NYULangone.org or NYUEcho@NYULangone.org, or call 855-698-2437.
EXPAND (EXpanding Prenatal cell free DNA screening Across moNogenic Disorders)
The goal of this study is to help develop a blood test for prenatal genetic screening that will assess a baby’s risk of being affected by an inherited genetic condition, such as cystic fibrosis or Tay Sachs. Currently, the only way to check for single gene disorders (such as cystic fibrosis) is through an invasive test such as an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.
Participants provide a blood sample, a cheek swab from their newborn (if needed), and health information related to the pregnancy and delivery. Participants are compensated $50.
To learn more, please contact Valeryia Avtushka at Valeryia.Avtushka
@NYULangone.org.
HCBD (HEALthy Brain and Child Development)
The goal of this study is to better understand how factors in a family’s environment and community, as well as other factors during pregnancy and after birth, can affect child development. The insights we gain from this study will help improve the wellbeing of children for generations to come.
Participants complete several visits over a five-year timeframe, from pregnancy through early childhood. Each visit consists of an MRI scan of your child’s brain, survey completion, measurement of heart rate, movement, and growth, and observation of the participant and the child. Additionally, our team takes blood and urine samples from both the participant and the child.
Participants are compensated up to a total of $2,555 over the first five years of the study. Please note that patients at NYU Langone Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates can combine their first study visit with one of their routine prenatal appointments.
To learn more, please email Dr. Uju Berry at HBCD@NYULangone.org or visit .
NEST (Neuro-Environmental Study of Fetal Developmental Trajectories)
The goal of this study is to learn how mothers and babies are connected at important developmental stages during pregnancy and beyond. We hope to understand more about the healthy changes mothers go through during pregnancy, including brain changes. We will also look at different patterns of fetal and infant brain change to learn about factors shaping their development.
Participants make three visits over one and a half years. Each visit consists of an MRI scan of the brain, complete cognitive tasks, survey completion, and wearing data-collecting devices like an OURA ring or a fetal ECG monitor or both. Our team also collect biological samples, such as blood, hair, and saliva, from each participant and their child. Participants are compensated up to $910.
To learn more, please email Dr. Claire McCormack at NestStudy
@NYULangone.org.
MAP (Morbidly Adherent Placenta)
The goal of this study is to learn if having an ultrasound at 11 to 14 weeks can help identify an abnormally implanted placenta. This condition is also known as morbidly adherent placenta or placenta accrete. It can be associated with excessive blood loss during delivery.
This study is open only to pregnant patients who have previously had a cesarean delivery (C-section). Participants complete a brief survey about their medical history, have additional sonogram pictures and measurements, and allow researchers to access their medical records. Please note that participants should expect their regularly scheduled ultrasound appointments to take about 13 minutes longer than usual.
To learn more, please contact Valeryia Avtushka at Valeryia.Avtushka
@NYULangone.org.
REBIRTH (Randomized Evaluation of Bromocriptine in Myocardial Recovery Therapy for Peripartum Cardiomyopathy)
The purpose of this study is to determine whether bromocriptine can strengthen the heart while taking heart failure medication. The study also seeks to examine the impact of breastfeeding on recovery of heart function in pregnant people with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).
This study is open to postpartum patients 18-years or older who have recently been diagnosed with PPCM and have delivered less than five months ago. Participants make seven visits throughout three years. Each visit consists of an echocardiogram, blood draw, clinical assessment of blood pressure and heart rate, and survey completion. Participants are compensated up to $200.
To learn more, please contact Valeryia Avtushka at Valeryia.Avtushka
@NYULangone.org.