The hemodynamic effects of isometric exercise during late normal pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Our study was designed to evaluate the hemodynamic effects of isometric exercise in late normal pregnancy.


METHODS
Study subjects were 10 healthy pregnant volunteers with uncomplicated singleton gestations between 25 and 36 weeks. Doppler methods were used to derive cardiac output, total peripheral resistance, and stroke volume before, during, and after a defined protocol of lower extremity isometric exercise. Hemodynamics and blood pressure were evaluated and compared.


RESULTS
Mean arterial blood pressure and total peripheral resistance increased during the performance of isometric effort (mean blood pressure +/- SD was 78.9 +/- 7.3 to 97.5 +/- 8.6 mm Hg; total peripheral resistance +/- SD was 924 +/- 148 to 1153 +/- 18.3 dyne.sec.cm-5; p < 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively). Cardiac output remained unchanged throughout the study period.


CONCLUSIONS
In advanced normal pregnancy isometric exercise increases the mean arterial blood pressure by raising the total peripheral resistance.
Van Hook
J W
JW
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Care Clinic, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle.
Gill
P
P
Easterling
T R
TR
Schmucker
B
B
Carlson
K
K
Benedetti
T J
TJ
D001794:Blood Pressure; D002302:Cardiac Output; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D013318:Stroke Volume; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014655:Vascular Resistance