Research and Clinical Trials
If you are interested in participating in our projects, would like to learn more about them, or would like to collaborate, please contact us.
Current Research Projects (Recruiting)
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NICHD #: 1U54HD113030-01, Co-PIs Mendez, Birru Talabi, Simhan
The EMBRACE Center is a multidisciplinary community-academic partnership to advance maternal and reproductive health for Black birthing people through Clinical transformation. The EMBRACE Center research aims to integrate interconception (time between pregnancies) and 4th trimester care that centers Black families and improves postpartum health and wellness.
The EMBRACE Center provides reproductive justice, anti-racism, and anti-oppression training for healthcare providers, researchers, and policy advocates. Leadership of the EMBRACE Center is comprised of community experts and advocates, who have a long history of supporting Black birthing people and families in the region.
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NICHD #: 1R61HD113515-01 PI Birru Talabi
INTREPID is a national study assessing the effects of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court decision on the health outcomes of abortion-seeking people with chronic diseases, physicians who care for birthing people with chronic diseases, and measures of severe maternal morbidity and mortality using Medicaid data. We are using surveys to achieve our aims, which include: 1) Evaluating--among people with chronic diseases who are seeking abortion--who is able or not able to obtain an abortion, and to assess their long-term health outcomes; 2) Assessing--among physicians-- the impact of abortion policy on medical decision-making and practice; and 3) generating new evidence about the impact of abortion policy on population- based pregnancy and healthcare-related outcomes.
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NIAMS K23AR075057 PI: Birru Talabi
A natural history registry of women with diverse autoimmune diseases, to assess longitudinal reproductive health outcomes in this group. We recruit from UPMC rheumatology clinics and from the Pitt + Me online research registry.
Participants will be asked to complete surveys about their reproductive health goals and outcomes; their autoimmune disease and medications; and their experiences in the healthcare system. Participants’ medical records will be reviewed annually to document their health outcomes.
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NICHD #: 5R21HD109440-02 PI: Birru Talabi
We developed a new measure to evaluate the extent to which people’s reproductive autonomy is supported in the healthcare environment. Future work will validate the RAH measure in a large cohort of diverse women and evaluate its effect on the clinical outcomes of women at high risk for preterm birth, and maternal morbidity and mortality.
Seeking Collaboration
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ORCHID is a subdivision of the Center for Innovative Research on Gender Health Equity (CONVERGE). ORCHID is a gathering point for multidisciplinary researchers, clinicians, trainees, and community members interested in advancing reproductive healthcare for people with chronic diseases and serves as a brainstorming collective for various aspects of reproductive healthcare, data dissemination, and clinical transformation.
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NIAMS K23AR075057 PI: Birru Talabi
A natural history registry of women with diverse autoimmune diseases, to assess longitudinal reproductive health outcomes in this group. We recruit from UPMC rheumatology clinics and from the Pitt + Me online research registry.
Participants will be asked to complete surveys about their reproductive health goals and outcomes; their autoimmune disease and medications; and their experiences in the healthcare system. Participants’ medical records will be reviewed annually to document their health outcomes of care.
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NICHD #: 5K23AR075057-04, PI: Birru Talabi
We developed and pilot tested a patient-facing decision aid to facilitate family planning in the rheumatology clinic setting. Future work will include the development of a longitudinal, exploratory cohort of women with autoimmune diseases to evaluate how medication adherence is influenced by key factors, such as: pregnancy intention; reproductive knowledge; symptom severity; and family planning care receipt.