KSHB: Saint Luke's, UMKC to Lead Nationwide Study in Effort to Combat Maternal Mortality

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people who are pregnant.

It’s why Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute and the Healthcare Institute for Innovations in Quality at University of Missouri-Kansas City are using a $8.3 million grant to lead a nationwide study on maternal mortality. The study, called Heart Outcomes in Pregnancy Expectations (HOPE) for Mom and Baby, will look at outcomes of 1,000 pregnant people to create better care for moms with heart conditions during pregnancy.

KSHB talked to Dr. Anna Grodzinsky, cardiologist and co-principal investigator of the study, and two local mothers who participated in the study's pilot phase.