Uterine artery blood flow and renal sympathetic nerve activity during exercise in rabbit pregnancy

The uterine artery blood flow (UtBF) and renal sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) responses to treadmill exercise were evaluated in 12 nonpregnant (NP) and 17 term pregnant (P) rabbits. UtBF was monitored continuously with a Transonic flowprobe. Rabbits underwent three exercise trials (5-min duration) that varied in absolute workload. The rise in renal SNA with exercise was intensity related. Pregnancy did not affect the average steady-state renal SNA response expressed relative to maximum activity (P 24 +/- 1% vs. NP 23 +/- 2% of maximum smoke-elicited activity) and increased the average renal SNA response expressed relative to resting activity (P +155 +/- 19% vs. NP +84 +/- 23% from rest, P = 0.03) At rest, UtBF (P 13 +/- 3 vs. NP 1.9 +/- 0.3 ml/min) and uterine artery conductance (UtC; P 22 +/- 5 vs. NP 2.8 +/- 0.5 ml. min-1.mmHg-1 x 10-2) were elevated in the P rabbits. The average exercise-related decreases in UtBF (P -16 +/- 4% vs. NP -48 +/- 4%) and UtC (P -27 +/- 4% vs. NP -54 +/- 4%) were attenuated in the P rabbits. Pregnancy does not impair the ability to raise renal SNA but attenuates the uterine artery constrictor response to moderate to heavy dynamic exercise in rabbits. Under normal conditions, the pregnant uterine circulatory bed may be relatively protected from exercise-related redistribution of blood flow.