title: Fetal responses to maternal exercise: effect on fetal breathing and body movement.
abstract: This study was conducted to determine the impact of maternal exercise on fetal breathing and fetal body movement, which are commonly used for assessing fetal well-being. Twelve healthy patients with a range of gestational ages of 26 to 36 weeks, who actively exercised throughout pregnancy, participated in the study. The patients walked on a motorized treadmill using a modified Bruce protocol until the maternal heart rate reached 75% of the age-predicted maximal heart rate. Fetal activities (fetal breathing and fetal body movement) were continuously monitored with real-time ultrasonography for 20 minutes before and after the standardized exercise test. Our results demonstrate that there is a significant increase in maternal heart rate and blood pressure associated with exercise. In addition, there is a significant decrease in the total duration and frequency of fetal breathing and fetal body movements following acute maternal exercise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Louis University School of Medicine, MO 63117.
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Winn
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wackers
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hobbins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring; D005324:Fetal Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal