title: Exercise-induced changes in uterine artery blood flow, as measured by Doppler ultrasound, in pregnant subjects.
abstract: Eleven healthy women with singleton pregnancies between 16 and 28 weeks gestation were continuously exercised, in a graded fashion, by stationary bicycle to a predetermined target heart rate. Before and within 3 minutes after exercise, uterine artery waveforms were identified from a semirecumbent position using a 3.5 MHz continuous-wave Doppler transducer coupled to an Angioscan spectrum analyzer. The ratio of peak systolic to end-diastolic frequency (A/B ratio) was utilized to assess qualitative differences in flow before and after exercise. No statistically significant changes in A/B ratios were noted. This study suggests that nonexhaustive maternal exercise does not compromise uterine artery blood flow in healthy, low-risk pregnant subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jarrett
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bendick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*