Interventions address maternal cardiovascular disease

At Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, Mo., a team composed of a maternal-fetal medicine physician, a cardiologist and an RN who serves as the program coordinator meet with patients to get a full understanding of their health histories and take steps to manage their cardiovascular disorders—the leading cause of maternal death. The approach is described in the December issue of Health Affairs. A year ago, Saint Luke’s launched the nation’s first prospective registry of cardiovascular disease in pregnancy in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Up to 35 medical institutions are expected to participate in the Heart Outcomes in Pregnancy Expectations (HOPE) Registry for Mom and Baby, which aims to enroll 1,000 pregnant or postpartum women with a cardiovascular disorder and follow them for five years.