CFTR modulators have significantly improved the health and life expectancy of people with cystic fibrosis. Thanks to these treatments, more and more women with cystic fibrosis are able to plan a pregnancy. Despite these important advances, little is still known about the safety of these drugs during pregnancy.
On one hand, stopping treatment may have negative consequences for the mother’s health. On the other hand, it is important to understand whether CFTR modulators, which can cross the placenta, may affect the baby’s development or interfere with the normal function of the placenta.
The placenta plays a vital role during pregnancy: it supplies oxygen and nutrients to the developing baby, produces hormones, and supports the baby’s growth and protection. If the placenta does not develop properly, the risk of pregnancy complications increases, including preterm birth and preeclampsia, a condition marked by high blood pressure that can endanger the health of both the mother and the baby.

To investigate these questions, this project will use three-dimensional placental organoids grown in the laboratory from trophoblasts, the cells that give rise to the placenta during the earliest stages of pregnancy. These organoids closely mimic many of the characteristics of the human placenta and allow researchers to study its development and function under controlled conditions. The study will also analyze placental samples collected after delivery from women with cystic fibrosis, comparing those who received CFTR modulators during pregnancy with those who did not, as well as with samples from pregnancies without cystic fibrosis.
Finally, the project will investigate the role of the CFTR protein in the placenta, which is still poorly understood, to determine whether it is involved in placental development and function.

The findings will help clarify the safety of CFTR modulators during pregnancy and provide valuable information to support doctors and patients in making informed treatment decisions, ultimately helping to make pregnancy safer for women with cystic fibrosis and their babies.