Continuation of the nuMoM2b Heart Health Study

The proposed continued follow-up of the ~4500 nuMoM2b Heart Health Study participants provides a platform for better understanding of clinical and subclinical abnormalities that may be present 8-12 years following a first pregnancy. Women will be contacted every 6 months from January 2019 through December 2025 (7 years) to maintain contact, to identify additional pregnancies and cardiovascular-related events, and to assess selected health behaviors. For new pregnancies since the end of the prior follow up, the women will self-report pregnancy outcomes, birth weight, gestational age at delivery, gestational weight gain, any adverse pregnancy outcome, and infant feeding method. An authorization for release of records will be requested for each birth and each cardiovascular-related event. In years 3-5 of the grant, each woman will be invited for a single study visit at the first opportunity when she is at least six months postpartum from her most recent pregnancy and not currently pregnant. The visit will include clinical measurements and a structured interview to assess domains that were measured in the nuMoM2b pregnancy and nuMoM2b Heart Health Study clinic visit, including physical activity, depression, social support, psychological stress, and nutritional status. The occurrence of cardiovascular-related events will be ascertained and authorization for release of any resulting medical records associated with these events will be requested. A fasting blood draw (plasma and serum) and urine collection will be performed and specimens stored. Lab analysis will be conducted on an aliquot of stored serum for a lipid panel, HgbA1c, hsCRP, glucose, and insulin, as well as on an aliquot of urine for creatinine and albumin. In year 6 of the grant, medical records will be reviewed for reported pregnancies as well as any reported cardiovascular-related events.