Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality among women in the United States. Epidemiologic studies have shown that women with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preeclampsia, are at increased risk for hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and kidney disease later in life. To better understand how pregnancy outcomes are linked to future heart health, the nuMoM2b Heart Health Study researchers have followed the original nuMoM2b cohort for several years after pregnancy (2014-2020), including a clinic visit to collect research information at about 2 to 7 years postpartum for eligible women. The initial results of the Heart Health Study confirm that women with
adverse pregnancy outcomes have, on average, more early indicators of cardiovascular
disease risk than their counterparts without adverse pregnancy outcomes. To
learn more about the nature of this association, Heart Health Study researchers
will continue to follow the cohort during 2020-2027 using online and phone
contacts, a clinic visit in 2022-2024, and additional in-depth ancillary
studies. It is hoped that information from this follow-up study may be used to improve the health of women based on their experiences during pregnancy.