title: Evidence of fetal cerebral vasodilatation induced by submaximal maternal dynamic exercise in human pregnancy.
abstract: To investigate the relationship between maternal exercise and fetal circulatory responses in humans during the third trimester of pregnancy, changes in uterine, umbilical and fetal cerebral circulations were measured by pulsed-Doppler ultrasound method in 14 healthy volunteer pregnant women before and just after a moderate non-exhaustive exercise. Maternal heart rate increased significantly reaching 80% of the theoretical maximal heart rate (TMHR) while uterine resistance indices did not change. The fetal heart rate and umbilical mean velocity were unchanged while umbilical resistance index decreased slightly (0.58 +/- 0.06 versus 0.62 +/- 0.07, P < 0.05). The fetal internal carotid artery mean velocity increased (23.2 +/- 5.3 versus 20.4 +/- 4.1 cm/s, P < 0.02) and the cerebral resistance index decreased (0.71 +/- 0.11 versus 0.80 +/- 0.10, P < 0.01). We conclude that submaximal maternal exercise at 80% of TMHR does not significantly alter uterine perfusion but involves a slight fetal cerebral vasodilation which could be due to a moderate fetal hemoglobin desaturation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Functional Investigations, Lariboisière Hospital, UFR Lariboisière-Saint Louis, University of Paris, VII, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonnin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bazzi-Grossin
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ciraru-Vigneron
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bailliart
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Kedra
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Savin
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ravina
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Martineaud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000196:embryology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply; D014655:Vascular Resistance; D014664:Vasodilation