The Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI) is very pleased to congratulate the recipients of the 2025 Women’s Health Research Institute Catalyst Grants. This competition was funded thanks to the dedicated support of the BC Women’s Health Foundation. One of the seven awards is related to funding provided to the BC Women’s Health Foundation made possible by the family of Dr. Sue Harris and will support a research project focused on women’s health (cis and trans inclusive) within the discipline of family practice.
This grant competition provides support for pilot studies in women’s and newborn’s health, which aim to generate preliminary data; test new approaches, methodologies or tools; bring new teams together; and/or support new research in women’s and newborn’s health from established researchers.
This competition has two applicant streams which are evaluated separately from one another: the Academic Researcher stream and the Clinician-Investigator stream. The WHRI funds three awards for each of the two main applicant streams for this competition: the Academic Researcher stream and the Clinician Investigator stream.
Academic Researcher Stream Recipients
PROJECT TITLE:
Enhancing prenatal care in British Columbia: Co-designing and testing the Integrated Prenatal Oral Health Care Model
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Abiola Adeniyi, Assistant Professor, Health and Human Services, Fairleigh Dickinson University (Vancouver campus)
CO-INVESTIGATORS:
Astrid Christoffersen-Deb, Mario Brondani, Cecilia Jevitt, Bruce Wallace, Arryn Nemeth, Nadia Beyzaei, Jensen Wong, Erin Riddel and Estefania Orta
SUMMARY:
Healthy teeth and gums are important during pregnancy, but dental care is often overlooked in regular prenatal check-ups in British Columbia (BC). During pregnancy, body changes can make gum disease and tooth decay more likely. If untreated, these problems can affect both parent and baby, leading to early birth, low birth weight, and cavities in young children. These risks are higher for pregnant individuals from underserved populations, including newcomer, low-income, gender-diverse, and Indigenous communities, who often face barriers to dental care.
The research team created the Integrated Prenatal Oral Health Care (IPOHC) model to close these gaps. The model adds two short dental questions to regular prenatal visits. If answers show a need, the provider refers the patient for a dental check-up and care. The IPOHC model will be tested at the South Community Birth Program and the Strathcona Community Dental Clinic in Vancouver.
The project aims are to: (1) work with patients, healthcare providers, and administrators to adapt the IPOHC model for these sites; (2) train providers and track how many pregnant people are screened, referred, and complete dental visits; and (3) interview patients and providers to learn what worked, and what can be improved. This pilot will show if the IPOHC model can be used in BC and guide the design of a larger study. The results will support efforts to make dental care a normal part of pregnancy care and improve the health of parents and babies across the province.
PROJECT TITLE:
Leveraging HPV Screening Data to Improve Cervical Cancer Prevention in Women Living with HIV
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Elisabeth McClymont, Assistant Professor, Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, University of British Columbia
CO-INVESTIGATORS:
Sofia Nicolls, Gina Ogilvie, Deborah Money and Lily Proctor
SUMMARY:
Cervical cancer, caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, is a preventable disease. Yet in Canada, approximately 1,600 individuals are diagnosed each year, and one person dies every day from the disease. Canada has committed to eliminating cervical cancer by 2040, aligning with the World Health Organization’s global elimination strategy. Women and gender-diverse people with a cervix living with HIV (WLWH) are disproportionately affected, with a five-fold higher risk of cervical cancer compared to those without HIV. This important global population of 40.8 million people (63,000 in Canada) is more susceptible to persistent HPV infection and often experiences infection with less common HPV types. As British Columbia has shifted to an HPV-based cervical screening program, provincial screening program data can now be leveraged to provide insights on HPV type distribution, colposcopy referral and attendance patterns, and the types of HPV associated with cervical precancers and cancers among WLWH. By generating evidence specific to this population, the project aims to inform strategies to reduce disparities and support Canada’s cervical cancer elimination goals.
PROJECT TITLE:
Validation of the Canadian Version of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy Using National Data from the Canadian Sexual and Reproductive Health Survey
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Fatemeh Khorami, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia
CO-INVESTIGATORS:
Wendy V. Norman
SUMMARY:
Unintended pregnancy remains a major public health issue, yet Canada has no reliable national measure to understand how often it occurs or why. Most existing statistics simply label pregnancies as “intended” or “unintended,” missing the complex reality of how people plan, prepare for, or respond to pregnancy. The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP) is a widely used, six-question tool that captures the spectrum of pregnancy intention and has been validated in over 30 countries.
For the first time, the Canadian Sexual and Reproductive Health Survey (CSRHS) includes an adapted Canadian version of the LMUP, with slight wording changes to reflect Canadian language and health system context. These changes must be validated to ensure the measure remains accurate and relevant. Using CSRHS data from diverse participants across all provinces and territories, this project will test the reliability and validity of the Canadian LMUP and generate the first national estimates of unintended pregnancy. Findings will be stratified by age, relationship status, parity, region, and sociodemographic factors to identify groups at higher risk and guide equitable access to contraception and reproductive health care.
Clinician-Investigator Stream Recipients
PROJECT TITLE:
The Full Moon Challenge: An Implementation Study to Support Perinatal Nurses in Promoting Vaginal Birth
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Karen Pike, Senior Practice Leader, Maternal Newborn Program, BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre
CO-INVESTIGATORS:
Melanie Basso, Beth Duncan, Janet Lyons, Alison MacInnes, Chanelle Ram and Katherine M. Seligman
SUMMARY:
Cesarean section (CS) rates in Canada have nearly doubled over the past 25 years. While CS can be a necessary and life-saving procedure, it carries more risks and requires more recovery time than vaginal birth. These risks include bleeding, infection, delayed breastfeeding, and increased chances of postpartum depression. CS also places greater demands on healthcare resources. British Columbia has the highest CS rate in Canada, with 41% of births delivered this way. At BC Women’s Hospital (BCWH), the rate is even higher at 43%, with half of these being emergency CS during labour. A common reason for emergency CS is dystocia, where labour stalls or the baby cannot pass through the pelvis. Mobility and upright positions during labour help the baby move through the birth canal and support vaginal birth. However, about two-thirds of birthing people in BC choose epidural anesthesia for pain relief, which can limit movement and increase the risk of prolonged labour and operative birth.
The Full Moon Challenge (FMC) is a nursing-led initiative that encourages frequent position changes during labour for patients with an epidural with a goal to support vaginal birth. A pilot project completed in Halifax showed promising results by reducing emergency CS rates for dystocia from 24% to 16%. Now, nurses across Canada are working together to adapt FMC for use at BCWH and beyond, basing tailored strategies on a needs assessment survey and interviews on nurses’ perspectives on education and unit culture. In our overall aim to lower emergency CS rates, we endeavor to improve outcomes for birthing parents and their newborns.
PROJECT TITLE:
Predictive Value of Early Peritraumatic Distress Screening for Childbirth-PTSD Following Unplanned Cesarean Delivery
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Katherine M. Seligman, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, UBC Department of Anesthesiology, BC Women’s Hospital
CO-INVESTIGATORS:
Kathryn Clark, Juliana Barrera, Simon Massey, Ilana Sebbag and Laura Folino
SUMMARY:
Up to one in three women describe their birth as traumatic, with lasting impacts on both parent and baby. Despite this, no routine screening exists to identify women at risk for childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD). Intense emotional distress during or after a traumatic event strongly predicts PTSD development. A study of over 3,000 women found that the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI), a brief questionnaire adapted for childbirth, identifies women at higher risk of CB-BTSD when they score 15 or above in the months post-partum. However, this study assessed women at only one timepoint and did not test whether the PDI works when administered immediately after birth during hospitalization. Preliminary data from BC Women’s Hospital shows 25% of women with unplanned cesarean deliveries scored 15 or higher on the PDI within 24-48 hours postpartum. Yet, hospitals have not implemented routine screening because healthcare providers question whether early screening accurately predicts the development of CB-PTSD and leads to effective interventions.
Our study will recruit women after unplanned cesarean delivery to complete the PDI and City Birth Trauma Scale within 24-48 hours postpartum. At six weeks, participants will complete the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). This research will determine whether early PDI screening predicts CB-PTSD and postpartum depression at six weeks, assess feasibility of routine screening implementation, and generate knowledge enabling secondary prevention of PTSD and identification of recurrent themes to inform strategies for preventing traumatic births.
PROJECT TITLE:
SHIELD-RSV Study of HIV-Exposed pregnancies and transplacental antibody Delivery following RSVpreF
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Jeffrey Man Hay Wong, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia
CO-INVESTIGATORS:
Elisabeth McClymont
SUMMARY:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of hospitalization among young infants in Canada. Although most infants recover, RSV can cause severe respiratory illness and substantial family and health-system burden. Infants born to pregnant people living with HIV face higher risk of RSV disease even if uninfected, partly because HIV increases preterm birth risk and may reduce transfer of protective antibodies across the placenta. Critically, data are lacking on RSV-specific antibody levels among pregnant people with HIV. Two new prevention tools are now available: 1) RSVpreF vaccine given in late pregnancy to boost maternal antibody levels that cross the placenta and protect newborns; and 2) Nirsevimab, a long acting monoclonal antibody given to infants after birth. Both approaches are effective in the general population, but pregnant people with HIV were excluded from key trials, and antibody responses after RSVpreF in this group are unknown. Clinicians therefore lack evidence to counsel patients with HIV about whether maternal vaccination confers sufficient newborn protection.
This study will enroll 20 pregnant people with HIV who will receive RSVpreF. The RSV antibody levels will be measured pre- and post-vaccination in participants and their infants after delivery to quantify placental transfer. Safety and birth outcome data will be collected and parental perspectives on RSV immunization will be gathered. Results will inform Canadian policy and clinical guidance to ensure equitable access to RSV prevention for infants, including those exposed to HIV. Findings will be used to support decisions about maternal vaccination, infant antibody, and equitable resource allocation
Family Practice Research Project Recipient
PROJECT TITLE:
Menopausal hormone therapy use, out-of-pocket costs, and access barriers: an evaluation of universal coverage policies
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Laura Schummers, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia
CO-INVESTIGATORS:
Brittany Bingham, Lori Brotto, Stirling Bryan, I fan Kuo, Michael Law, Elizabeth Nethery, Nathan Nickel, Gina Ogilvie, Shirley Weir and Wei Zhang
SUMMARY:
Background: Women spend one-third of their lives in perimenopause (the 10 year period before menopause) or post-menopause, characterized by decreases in estrogen production affecting physical and emotional health. Untreated menopause symptoms can reduce quality of life, health outcomes, and work productivity.
Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) is routinely used to treat symptoms and support long-term health. Costs for MHT vary and may limit access, particularly for those paying out-of-pocket. The role of cost-related and other barriers remains uncertain. In 2025, Manitoba introduced universal public coverage for MHT; BC will introduce a similar policy in 2026.
Little is known regarding MHT prescription volumes in Canada, regional variability, percent paid out-of-pocket, barriers to MHT use, or effects of public coverage.
Objective: Examine MHT prescription volume and patient costs, the effect of Manitoba’s public coverage on prescription volume and out-of-pocket costs, and barriers to use.
Approach: Using a national prescription database, we will examine trends in MHT prescription volumes and the percent paid out-of-pocket from 2015-2026. We will compare trends by Canadian provinces, age, area-level income, and rurality. We will use controlled interrupted time series analysis to estimate effects of Manitoba’s policy on prescription volume and out-of-pocket costs. Finally, we will use interview data to examine patient-reported barriers to MHT.
Impact and Expected Outcomes: Health policy and system decision-makers require evidence on the frequency and distribution of MHT use, effects of public coverage, and barriers to care. The outcomes will be used to seed a pan-Canadian MHT evaluation and 2026 CIHR Project Grant.