Learn about the nuMoM2b and the nuMoM2b Heart Health Studies

NuMoM2b (Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-be) was a prospective cohort study of 10,038 nulliparous women with singleton gestations. The participants underwent research assessments over the course of their pregnancies to study the mechanisms for and prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes including hypertensive diseases of pregnancy, preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction. A study visit was conducted during each trimester of pregnancy. Data were collected through interviews, self-administered questionnaires, clinical measurements, ultrasounds, and medical records review to ensure collection of pertinent demographic, psychosocial, dietary, physiologic, and pregnancy outcome information. Maternal serum, plasma, urine, and cervico-vaginal fluid were collected at each visit; maternal blood for DNA was collected at Visit 1; and cord blood and placenta were collected at delivery. These samples are stored in a repository for later use. Finally, an overnight sleep study was done on a subset of the women at Visit 1 and Visit 3.

The nuMoM2b Heart Health Study is a prospective follow-up study of the women enrolled to nuMoM2b through interval contacts and in-person study visits. The interval contacts are used to maintain the cohort, determine eligibility of in-person visits, and inquire about subsequent pregnancies and any cardiovascular disease-related conditions. The in-person visits are intended to assess cardiovascular disease risk that can be related back to the nuMoM2b pregnancy experiences and outcomes. The overarching goal of the nuMoM2b Heart Health Study is to better define the relation between outcomes of pregnancy and long-term cardiovascular health of women. To date, the follow-up study has included recontacts with 7,003 of the 8,833 nuMoM2b participants identified as eligible for follow-up. A first in-person cardiovascular assessment was conducted 2014-2017 on 4,508 of the women, 2-7 years after their nuMoM2b pregnancy ended. The assessment included biospecimen collection and clinical and laboratory measurements, as well as an interview and self-administered questionnaires used to assess physical activity, depression, psychological stress, nutritional status, and sleep. An overnight sleep study was performed on a subset of 1,064 participants to assess sleep disordered breathing. Outcomes of subsequent pregnancies have also been collected. Chart abstraction has been completed on subsequent pregnancies with adverse pregnancy outcomes and a chart review has been completed on all cardiovascular-related events and deaths reported. During 2020-2027, recontacts will continue at six-month intervals and a second cardiovascular assessment will be conducted. In addition, ancillary studies are planned that leverage the data and biospecimens that have already been collected and that take advantage of the upcoming in-person visit for additional assessments. The study team welcomes inquiries regarding collaborative research partnerships for new ancillary studies.

The studies are supported by grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

The research sites participating in the nuMoM2b Heart Health Study are listed below.