Innovative Approaches to Improve Maternal Health

In the United States, pregnancy-related deaths and complications, or maternal mortality and morbidity (MMM) rates, are among the highest in the developed world. For Black women and American Indian/Alaska Native women, they are especially high, regardless of their income or education levels. Collaboration among researchers, small businesses, and the community could lead to new ways to improve maternal health and reduce U.S. MMM rates.

On May 8-9, 2023, NIH will hold a hybrid event that brings together technology developers, medical device experts, small business innovators, implementation scientists, MMM researchers, and academic, industry, and community-based partners. The goal is to connect the research community with small businesses that are developing new approaches to improve MMM and its associated health disparities. Hosted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and sponsored by NIH’s Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) initiative along with six other NIH institutes and offices, the workshop will be held in the Main Auditorium of the Natcher Conference Center in Building 45 on the NIH campus and will be videocast.

During the workshop, participants will:

• Explore key scientific discoveries in diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy-associated conditions and the areas ready for translation.
• Participate in how-to training sessions focused on best-practices in translation, education, funding, technology development, and dissemination.
• Review implementation science and community-engaged methods to ensure maternal health technologies reach those most affected and address health equity.

The event is free and open to the public. View the registration website for details on posters, pitch talks, and the agenda.

Sponsors

• NIH IMPROVE Initiative
• NHLBI
• National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
• Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH)

Key Dates

• March 26, 11:59 p.m. ET: Abstract Submission Deadline for Posters and Pitch Talks
• April 10: Poster and Pitch Talk Acceptance Notification
• April 24: In-person registration deadline
• May 1: Deadline to place food order
• May 5: Virtual participation registration deadline

NIH Videocast

Watch the event live via NIH videocast:
May 8: https://videocast.nih.gov/watch=49193
May 9: https://videocast.nih.gov/watch=49196