Yael I. Nillni, PhD
Associate Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Psychiatry

PhD, University of Vermont
BA, University of Massachusetts Amherst



Expertise and Interests:

-Impact of trauma and mental health on women's reproductive health, including pregnancy outcomes and postpartum health

-Impact of the menstrual cycle and its underlying neurobiology on PTSD course and treatment

-Identification of gender-specific vulnerability-stress pathways in the pathogenesis of psychopathology

-Refinement of existing interventions to improve their effectiveness for women

Clinical Research Psychologist
VA Boston Healthcare System
National Center for PTSD
Women’s Health Sciences Division



A Non-Inferiority Trial Testing Delivery of Written Exposure Therapy by Community Health Workers for Treatment of PTSD During Pregnancy
08/17/2022 - 07/31/2027 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
5R01HD107282-04

PTSD-Related Neurobiological Mediators of Negative Pregnancy Outcomes
09/01/2017 - 07/31/2022 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
5K23HD087428-04


Facilitation of Extinction Retention and Reconsolidation Blockade by IV Allopregnanolone in PTSD
05/01/2021 - 10/15/2024 (Subcontract PI)
PI: Yael I. Nillni, PhD
Boston University School of Medicine NIH NIMH



Title
Enhancing Exposure Therapy by Capitalizing on Menstrual Cycle Phase
(PI)
Longitudinal Investigation of Gender, Health, and Trauma (LIGHT) Study
(PI)
PTSD-Related Neurobiological Mediators of Negative Pregnancy Outcomes
(PI)


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2025 A Non-Inferiority Trial Testing Delivery of Written Exposure Therapy by Community Health Workers for Treatment of PTSD During Pregnancy 5R01HD107282-04
2024 A Non-Inferiority Trial Testing Delivery of Written Exposure Therapy by Community Health Workers for Treatment of PTSD During Pregnancy 5R01HD107282-03
2023 A Non-Inferiority Trial Testing Delivery of Written Exposure Therapy by Community Health Workers for Treatment of PTSD During Pregnancy 5R01HD107282-02
2022 A Non-Inferiority Trial Testing Delivery of Written Exposure Therapy by Community Health Workers 1R01HD107282-01A1
2020 PTSD-Related Neurobiological Mediators of Negative Pregnancy Outcomes 5K23HD087428-04 4
2019 PTSD-Related Neurobiological Mediators of Negative Pregnancy Outcomes 5K23HD087428-03 4
2018 PTSD-Related Neurobiological Mediators of Negative Pregnancy Outcomes 5K23HD087428-02 4
2017 PTSD-Related Neurobiological Mediators of Negative Pregnancy Outcomes 1K23HD087428-01A1 4
2011 Anxiety Sensitivity, Menstrual Cycle Phase, and Panic-Relevant Responding 5R36MH086170-02 7
2010 Anxiety Sensitivity, Menstrual Cycle Phase, and Panic-Relevant Responding 1R36MH086170-01A1 7

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

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  1. Wesselink AK, Geller RJ, Lovett SM, Nillni YI, Savitz DA, Rothman KJ, Hatch EE, Wise LA. A prospective study of periconceptional perceived stress and rate of miscarriage. Hum Reprod. 2026 Apr 01; 41(4):606-615.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41677054; PMCID: PMC12990286; DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deaf243;
     
  2. Kuriyama AS, Lovett SM, Wesselink AK, Kuan KE, Hoffman MN, Nillni YI, Ncube CN, Wise LA, Boynton-Jarrett R. Childhood adversity and spontaneous abortion in a North American preconception cohort study. Am J Epidemiol. 2026 Mar 17; 195(4):982-990.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41222293; DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwaf246;
     
  3. Barnes ED, Brown HL, Elansary M, Vogt D, Kulkarni V, Nillni YI. Birth experience partially mediates link between prenatal mental health symptoms and postpartum bonding. Infant Ment Health J. 2026 Mar; 47(2):e70074.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41560522
     
  4. Schildroth S, Claus Henn B, Lovett SM, Wesselink AK, Nillni YI, Heiger-Bernays W, Harmon QE, Vines AI, Baird DD, Wise LA. A prospective study of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), stress, and birth size in a cohort of U.S. Black women. Environ Health. 2026 Feb 27; 25(1).View Related Profiles. PMID: 41761315; DOI: 10.1186/s12940-026-01279-7;
     
  5. Fox AB, Nillni YI, Rossi FS, Duke CC, Galovski TE. The mental health of US veterans before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: examining the demographic and environmental correlates of courses of distress in the LIGHT cohort. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2026 Apr; 61(4):735-746.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41233648
     
  6. Nillni YI, Barbano AC, Coleman JN, Fernando M, Gerber MR, Goodsmith N, Haeger KO, Hoffmire CA, Horenstein A, Inslicht SS, Johnson AM, Katon JG, Moses-Kolko EL, Kosman KA, Pineles SL, Pleasure ZH, Singh N, Miller LJ. The intersection of trauma, mental health, and reproductive health among women veterans: A scoping review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2025 Dec; 122:102659.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41218380
     
  7. Baier AL, Nillni YI, Mandavia A, Livingston N, Galovski T. Neighborhood context: Understanding the relationship between national indices of neighborhood risk, individual perception, and posttraumatic stress. Soc Sci Med. 2025 Sep; 380:118163.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40403591
     
  8. Nietsch KS, Estevez SL, Goodsmith N, Haeger KO, Inderstrodt J, Inslicht SS, Kosman KA, Mu Q, Nillni YI, Quinn D, Rodriguez A, Siff L, Stryczek KC, Tartaglione EV, Katon JG. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Reproductive Health Care and Outcomes Among Female Veterans: A Scoping Review. Health Equity. 2025; 9(1):203-228. PMID: 40677648; PMCID: PMC12270534; DOI: 10.1089/heq.2024.0168;
     
  9. Baier AL, Fox AB, Nillni YI, Matteo RA, Vogt D, Smith BN, Galovski T. Variation in pandemic impacts on the mental health of Black, Hispanic, and White American veterans. J Psychiatr Res. 2025 May; 185:194-203.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40203789
     
  10. Rossi FS, Nillni YI, Miller AN, Fox AB, Eliacin J, Schnurr PP, Duke CC, Gradus JL, Galovski TE. Gender and ethnoracial disparities in Veterans' trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phases. Inj Epidemiol. 2025 Feb 03; 12(1):8.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39901188; PMCID: PMC11792560; DOI: 10.1186/s40621-025-00561-5;
     
Showing 10 of 77 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 77 publications over 19 distinct years, with a maximum of 8 publications in 2023

YearPublications
20081
20091
20101
20113
20122
20137
20143
20151
20165
20171
20184
20197
20207
20216
20226
20238
20243
20257
20264


Why Anxiety Spikes With Your Period

Everyday Health 5/8/2020

PTSD May Lead to Pregnancy Complications Among Female Veterans

Psyche Central 4/15/2020
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Jamaica Plain MA 02130
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