Fetal response to maternal exercise in pregnancies with uteroplacental insufficiency

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the fetal response to submaximal maternal exercise at 22 to 26 weeks in pregnancies with abnormal uterine artery Doppler. Study design This was a prospective comparison of singleton pregnancies with uteroplacental vascular insufficiency (UPVI) (mean uterine pulsatility index [PI] values >1.45 [n = 12]) and those with normal uterine artery Doppler (n = 23). Maternal and fetal cardiovascular responses to 5 minutes of steady state cycling at 10% and at 15% of predicted work rate maximum were studied. Results Umbilical artery Doppler deteriorated after exercise in patients with UPVI (pre PI 1.4 [0.35-2.14], post PI 1.64 [0.45-2.18]). Three (25%) had transient absent-end diastolic flow (AEDF) in umbilical artery, 2 of which developed early-onset intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) with AEDF. Fetal cardiac output studies remained stable during the examinations. Conclusion Submaximal steady state exercise had a transient deleterious effect in a subset of women with uteroplacental vascular insufficiency destined to develop early-onset IUGR.