The influence of maternal exercise on the uteroplacental vascular bed resistance and the fetal heart rate during normal pregnancy

Physical activity and maternal–fetal circulation measured by Doppler ultrasound

“…Most measurements were taken before and soon after exercise. Findings for the uterine artery Doppler indices have not been consistent, including studies finding no meaningful changes, 19, 20, 21 an increase in the indices, 22, 23, 24 and an increase followed by a decrease in the indices following bouts of exercise. 25, 26 More consistently, studies have found no change in umbilical artery Doppler indices with exercise.…”

Physiology of Prenatal Exercise and Fetal Development

“…From Jovanovic et al (1985) the decreased fetal HR was during exercise, but increased after exercise. Regardless of whether a woman is conditioned or not prior to conception, the majority of studies found that an acute bout of maternal aerobic exercise elicits an increased FHR response (Hauth et al 1982;Collings et al 1983;Clapp 1985;Collings and Curet 1985;Cooper et al 1987;Steegers et al 1988;van Doorn et al 1992;Clapp et al 1993;Webb et al 1994;McMurray et al 1995;O'Neill 1996;Manders et al 1997;Brenner et al 1999;MacPhail et al 2000;Kennelly et al 2002b).…”

Exercise Guidelines for Pregnant Women

“…In human subjects, findings regarding uterine blood flow and exercise have been inconsistent (Baumann, Huch, & Huch, 1989;Moore, Jarrett, & Bendick, 1988;Morrow, b o x , & Bull, 1989;Rauramo & Forss, 1988;Steegers, et al, 1988;Veille, Bacevice, Wilson, Janos, & Hellerstein, 1989). In 1956, Morris, Osborn, Wright, and Hart reported decreased uterine blood flow during short-term bicycle exercise by measuring the clearance time of radioactive sodium (NZ4) injected into the myometrium.…”

“…In 1983, Campbell and colleagues (1983) first reported a non-invasive technique for assessing utero-placental blood flow by Doppler waveform. In 1988 and 1990, several studies using Doppler waveform (Baumann, Huch, & Huch, 1989;Hume, et al, 1990;Moore, 1988;Morrow, Knox, & Bull, 1989;Steegers, et al, 1988) and one study using intravenous Xenon technique (Rauramo & Forss, 1988) reported exercise-induced changes in uterine and/or umbilical arterial and/or intervillous placental blood flow.…”