Project Grant R01HD118657

The University of Michigan, as the primary recipient of this $598,644 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), will conduct a longitudinal research study to develop and validate a non-invasive ultrasound-based diagnostic technique for detecting preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. The research leverages spectral analysis of umbilical venous pulse wave data to simultaneously assess maternal and fetal blood flow components within the placenta, with the objective of enabling early diagnosis and case-by-case differentiation of at-risk pregnancies. The project runs from July 8, 2026 through June 30, 2031 and will employ two specific research aims: (1) determining temporal characteristics of three-dimensional color flow and logarithmic ratios of spectral peaks in longitudinal study populations, and (2) establishing correlations between preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction onset and cord blood flow measurements.

This diagnostic advancement addresses a significant clinical challenge in obstetrical care by providing a safe, longitudinally deployable measurement tool that could facilitate early preventative interventions and therapeutic testing in real-world obstetrical settings. The study population will include normal pregnancies alongside those affected by fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia, with umbilical vein pulse wave spectra acquired and analyzed using Fourier transforms and multivariate analysis to distinguish between normal and pathological conditions.