Continuation of the nuMoM2b Heart Health Study

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in U.S. women at all ages, and large knowledge gaps exist in CVD predictive and preventative strategies for women. The nuMoM2b Heart Health Study (nuMoM2b-HHS) has followed a demographically diverse cohort of women enrolled and richly phenotyped during their first pregnancy, with data and biospecimens prospectively collected for up to 7 years thereafter. The overarching scientific goal of this study is to define the relationship between adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) and CVD to optimize CVD prediction, prevention, and treatment strategies for women. Continued follow-up of this observational cohort, building on a foundation of existing high-quality data, biospecimens, and administrative structures with a robust framework for ancillary study development and implementation, provides a unique opportunity to address knowledge gaps regarding the early mechanisms and trajectory of CVD in women.

The Continuation of nuMoM2b Heart Health Study (nuMoM2b-HHS2) will include prospectively collected longitudinal data on CVD risk factors and early clinical manifestations of CVD, the study's primary outcomes of interest. Measures completed during semiannual follow-ups will include 1) self-reported interval medical history, including medications and substance use; 2) interval pregnancy and postpartum history; 3) interval CVD events, conditions, and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including CVD death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), peripheral vascular disease, kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and associated hospitalizations and procedures.

During a study visit in years 3-6, the participant's blood pressure, pulse rate, weight, height, and body measurements will be recorded. During the visit, a fasting blood draw and clean-catch urine specimen will be collected. Aliquots of whole blood, plasma, serum, and urine will be stored at the biorepository; these will be analyzed for CVD measures of lipids, triglycerides, and glucose, among others. Measures of behavioral risk factors, including nutrition, physical activity, and stress will also be completed.

Ancillary studies will expand data collection during the follow-up contacts and in-person visit, and add to the planned contact schedule, to permit the effective targeting of knowledge gaps required to optimize predictive and preventative strategies. Some ancillary studies will only rely on extant data, while others will require de novo data collection during the planned follow-up contacts and/or in-person visits (or participation in additional in-person visits).