The ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health (NIRRCH) is a premier research institution of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), situated in central Mumbai. The institute was established in 1970 by merging two existing ICMR units: the Reproductive Physiology Unit and the Contraceptive Testing Unit. Its original mandate was to develop novel and efficacious modalities for fertility regulation through research, assisting the government in its mission to address the population boom.
The institute works by conducting biomedical, clinical, operational, and socio-behavioural research on various aspects of reproductive health. It strengthens research capacity by offering M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs in affiliation with the University of Mumbai. A key mechanism is the translation of research observations into policy and planning at the national level. For instance, it has undertaken a multicentric study on the newborn sickle screening program across seven sites in six states since 2019. The institute is also a WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Reproductive Health.
The institute has undergone several name changes, having been formerly known as the Institute for Research in Reproduction and later as ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (NIRRH). Most recently, in a strategic shift reported in April 2026, the institute's mandate was expanded beyond reproductive and child health to include health issues unique to women. Consequently, it is being renamed the National Institute for Research on Women's Health (NIRWoH), reflecting a comprehensive approach to women's well-being that goes beyond maternal needs.