# Case Western Reserve University Center of the NICHD MFMU Network

> **NIH NIH UG1** · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $354,189

## Abstract

Obstetric practices and treatments are steeped in tradition, often introduced without rigorous evaluation
based on “expert” opinion. Practices are often influenced by the media with societal acceptance then entering
common practice without an assessment for risk or benefit. Because obstetrics often impacts two patients it is
important to understand the potential consequences for both individuals when a new intervention, medication,
or device is introduced into clinical practice. A treatment may benefit the mother but harm the fetus or inversely
benefit the fetus but harm the mother. These adverse events have both social and financial implications for
both the family and society. In addition, new therapeutic interventions can be associated with increased
healthcare expenditures. These social and financial burdens need to be determined to help mold health care
policy and practice.
 Since its inception, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) research
network has conducted clinical trials and observational studies that have provided new knowledge to our
understanding of pregnancy especially in the area of prematurity. Past studies have demonstrated the benefit
of 17-OH progesterone caproate to reduce the risk of preterm delivery and antibiotics to prolonged pregnancy
after premature preterm rupture of the membranes, among other effective interventions. Other studies have put
an end to expensive and ineffective interventions, such as fetal pulse oximetry and fetal heart rate ST segment
analysis, both of which failed to change delivery outcomes. MFMU network studies have played a significant
role in providing evidence for and against numerous practices over the past 26 years.
 In this application, we demonstrate that the investigators in the Department of Reproductive Biology at
Case Western Reserve University (CASE) have the ability to conduct collaborative research and have
successfully participated in the MFMU research network and are qualified to continue as a study center. Our
investigators have a diverse background in clinical trials and multi-center studies providing a depth of
experience for future as well as on-going studies. Our center has performed well in both recruitment and data
quality while maintaining high rates of participant retention. The CASE community (participating institutions and
medical school) has been and continues to be highly supportive of the CASE-MFMU study center and our
investigators. The CASE study center has provided leadership and participated in the administrative operations
that lead to the success of the entire MFMU network. Our use of administrative processes to improve
recruitment and hold down costs has been innovative. CASE provides a strong administrative and research
infrastructure such as the CASE-Clinical & Translational Science Collaborative to support our study center
operations. The CASE study center team is ideally positioned to provide leadership with exceptional
perfor...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10818534
- **Project number:** 5UG1HD040544-25
- **Recipient organization:** CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Kelly S Gibson
- **Activity code:** UG1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $354,189
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2001-04-01 → 2030-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10818534

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10818534, Case Western Reserve University Center of the NICHD MFMU Network (5UG1HD040544-25). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10818534. Licensed CC0.

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