# New York State Component A: BD-STEPS II Core

> **NIH ALLCDC U01** · CENTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH · 2020 · $900,000

## Abstract

Project Summary
The New York Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention (NYCBDRP) proposes to
continue its strong record of conducting epidemiologic research to identify the causes of birth
defects through its participation in the Birth Defects Study to Evaluate Pregnancy exposureS II
(BD-STEPS II). BD-STEPS II seeks to build on existing efforts to identify maternal exposures in
early pregnancy that may increase the risk for having a pregnancy affected by certain major,
structural birth defects. The NYCBDRP is well positioned to successfully implement BD-STEPS
II. The NYCBDRP has been a major contributor to CDC's collaborative National Birth Defects
Prevention Study (NBDPS) and the Birth Defects Study To Evaluate Pregnancy exposureS I
(BD-STEPS I) since 1996. NYCBDRP researchers have already used NBDPS/BD-STEPS I data
extensively to study the three main focus areas of BD-STEPS II: acute conditions such as
infections; chronic conditions such as autoimmune disease, hypertension, and asthma; and
medications to treat these conditions. The NYCBDRP has an experienced team in place to
successfully implement all aspects of the proposed study: case and control ascertainment,
clinical and contact information abstraction and review, subject recruitment, newborn
bloodspot collection, linkages to state infectious disease surveillance systems, linkages to the
New York State All Payer Database (APD) to validate self-reported medication use, and
innovative epidemiologic investigations. The NYCBDRP research agenda will focus on
expanding medication analyses using new BD-STEPS questions, developing analytic methods to
identify risk factors for rare defects and patterns of co-occurring birth defects, and exploring the
joint effects of chronic conditions and treatments on birth defect risk. The proposed pilot
validation study will build on NYCBDRP subject matter expertise by focusing on
antihypertensive medication use. Through a close relationship with the University at Albany
School of Public Health, the NYCBDRP will continue to attract and mentor graduate-level
students to conduct master's and dissertation projects using NBDPS/BD-STEPS data. From its
position within the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), the NYCBDRP will
leverage considerable NYSDOH resources through donated staff time, privileged access to
individual medical records, the Congenital Malformations Registry, infectious disease
surveillance systems, and the APD, and affiliation with the world-renowned Wadsworth Center
laboratory for genetic studies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9953920
- **Project number:** 5U01DD001227-03
- **Recipient organization:** CENTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Marilyn L. Browne
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $900,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9953920

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9953920, New York State Component A: BD-STEPS II Core (5U01DD001227-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9953920. Licensed CC0.

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