# Clinical Testing and Refinement of BumptUp®: A mobile health app to increase physical activity and improve obstetric outcomes among pregnant and postpartum women

> **NIH NIH R43** · BUMPTUP LABS, INC. · 2024 · $295,883

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
U.S. maternal mortality rates have risen by 63.7% since 2019, making the U.S. the most dangerous developed
nation to give birth in. A major contributor is that many women are becoming pregnant with chronic health
conditions like obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Underserved and minority women are particularly
vulnerable to chronic health conditions (e.g. black women are 2.3 times more likely to be overweight compared
to white women) and poor pregnancy outcomes (e.g. black women are 2.6 times more likely to suffer a
pregnancy-related death than white women). These populations also have limited access to prenatal care (6.9
million women of childbearing age have little or no access to maternal health care). Fortunately, physical
activity during and after pregnancy improves maternal and infant outcomes. Professionals recommend all
pregnant women exercise for 150 minutes per week. However, less than 15% of pregnant women meet these
guidelines because they lack time and resources, fear they will harm the unborn baby, or have pregnancy-
related symptoms (e.g. fatigue, nausea, discomfort). There remains a significant, unmet need to develop
effective intervention strategies to reduce obesity rates and increase physical activity in pregnant and
postpartum women. To address this need, BumptUp Labs, Inc. created BumptUp®, the first mobile health app
to provide pregnant and postpartum women with careful screening and evidence-based, safe exercise
programming. Strong preliminary data support the app’s potential for impact, but more work is needed to test
the app’s efficacy for improving key health outcomes. The objective of this project is to conduct a clinical trial to
demonstrate BumptUp®’s efficacy, while also utilizing real-time customer feedback to enhance the app’s
experience and features. BumptUp® seeks to enter the market of mHealth apps through business-to-
consumer and business-to-business sales. During Phase I, the following aims will be completed: Aim 1—
Conduct a randomized controlled clinical trial to assess the efficacy of BumtpUp® for increasing physical
activity levels during pregnancy (13-15, 23-25, and 35-37 weeks gestation) and postpartum (6 and 12 weeks).
Aim 2—Perform design changes to BumptUp® in response to results from the completed clinical trial to
improve usability and algorithm performance. These goals support the National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development’s mission to improve reproductive health. At the end of Phase I, BumptUp Labs will have
clinical trial data to demonstrate its efficacy and a refined app that is prepped for success in commercial market
spaces. During Phase II, a new app feature—a mobile maternal and fetal heart rate monitor—will be
engineered and synced with the app to provide additional reassurance to mothers during exercise. We will also
make additional app adaptations to meet the specific needs of underserved subgroups (black, low
socioeconomic status, rural). Overall, the dev...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10919604
- **Project number:** 1R43HD115442-01
- **Recipient organization:** BUMPTUP LABS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Rachel Ann Tinius
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $295,883
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-06-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10919604

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10919604, Clinical Testing and Refinement of BumptUp®: A mobile health app to increase physical activity and improve obstetric outcomes among pregnant and postpartum women (1R43HD115442-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10919604. Licensed CC0.

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