Project Grant R01HD117463

This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), under the federal Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), will provide $685,639 to Northwestern University to conduct research on "Patient, Partner, and Provider Determinants of Postpartum Contraception and Inter-Pregnancy Intervals." The research aims to understand factors that influence postpartum contraception use and inter-pregnancy intervals, which is critical given that nearly 1 in 5 postpartum patients experience a short interpregnancy interval, leading to adverse outcomes like preterm delivery and infant mortality. The multi-year award, with a performance period from March 2025 to November 2029, will support Northwestern's investigation of patient, partner, and provider-level determinants of postpartum contraceptive use and subsequent pregnancy timing, with the goal of informing clinical guidelines and interventions to promote healthy interpregnancy intervals.