Kardashian, West: No baby gifts, give to kids hospital

CHICAGO, April 30 (UPI) -- Soon-to-be-parents Kim Kardashian and Kanye West asked friends to donate to a Chicago children's hospital instead of buying baby gifts, a Kardashian agent said.

The celebrity socialite-actress and Chicago rapper asked friends to donate to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Kardashian's publicity representative said.

The hospital, formerly known as Children's Memorial Hospital, issued a statement expressing "its sincerest gratitude" to Kardashian and West "for their thoughtfulness and support of the hospital."

"We wish them all the best in the upcoming arrival of their baby," the statement said.

Donations made on the couple's behalf will go to the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which provides critically ill newborns with highly specialized care, the hospital said.