Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
Effective Isolation of Functional Islets from Neonatal Mouse Pancreas
Published on: January 6, 2017
Neonatal autonomic function after pregnancy complications and early cardiovascular development
Christina Y L Aye1,2, Adam James Lewandowski1, Julien Oster3
1Oxford Cardiovascular Clinical Research Facility, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Insights
Prematurity at birth is linked to altered heart rate variability (HRV), indicating changes in cardiac autonomic function. However, these HRV differences do not predict early cardiovascular development in infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal physiology
- Cardiovascular health
- Autonomic nervous system function
Background:
- Heart rate variability (HRV) is a recognized predictor of future cardiac risk.
- Pregnancy complications may impact offspring cardiac health long-term.
- Investigating HRV at birth for potential links to adverse pregnancy outcomes and postnatal cardiovascular development is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if pregnancy complications are associated with altered neonatal HRV.
- To assess if HRV differences at birth predict postnatal cardiovascular development.
- To explore the relationship between prematurity, HRV, and cardiac sequelae.
Main Methods:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings were obtained from 98 sleeping neonates at birth.
- Standard time and frequency domain HRV parameters were calculated.
- HRV was correlated with cardiovascular measures at birth and 3 months postnatally.
Main Results:
- Increasing prematurity correlated with decreased HRV, including lower rMSSD, LF, and HF power.
- A relative imbalance in sympathetic and parasympathetic tone was observed in preterm infants compared to term infants.
- Neonatal HRV differences did not predict cardiovascular measures at birth or 3 months of age.
Conclusions:
- Altered cardiac autonomic function at birth is primarily associated with prematurity, not other common pregnancy complications.
- These autonomic function differences do not predict cardiovascular development in the first three months post-birth.
- Long-term studies are necessary to ascertain the relevance of these findings to long-term cardiovascular risk.
Background:
Heart rate variability (HRV) has emerged as a predictor of later cardiac risk. This study tested whether pregnancy complications that may have long-term offspring cardiac sequelae are associated with differences in HRV at birth, and whether these HRV differences identify abnormal cardiovascular development in the postnatal period.
Methods:
Ninety-eight sleeping neonates had 5-min electrocardiogram recordings at birth. Standard time and frequency domain parameters were calculated and related to cardiovascular measures at birth and 3 months of age.
Results:
Increasing prematurity, but not maternal hypertension or growth restriction, was associated with decreased HRV at birth, as demonstrated by a lower root mean square of the difference between adjacent NN intervals (rMSSD) and low (LF) and high-frequency power (HF), with decreasing gestational age (p < 0.001, p = 0.009 and p = 0.007, respectively). We also demonstrated a relative imbalance between sympathetic and parasympathetic tone, compared to the term infants. However, differences in autonomic function did not predict cardiovascular measures at either time point.
Conclusions:
Altered cardiac autonomic function at birth relates to prematurity rather than other pregnancy complications and does not predict cardiovascular developmental patterns during the first 3 months post birth. Long-term studies will be needed to understand the relevance to cardiovascular risk.
Related Concept Videos
01:58Fruit Development, Structure, and Function
01:22Autonomic Nervous System
The ANS comprises two main divisions: the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions. These divisions function antagonistically to maintain a dynamic...
01:24Hemodialysis II: Procedure and Complications
01:14Overview of the Cardiovascular System
Heart
The heart is the central pump of the cardiovascular system that circulates blood throughout the body. It comprises two atria receiving the blood and two ventricles pumping blood out of the heart. Their rhythmic contractions, called heartbeats, ensure that blood flow remains continuous.
Blood Vessels
Blood...
01:26Autonomic Nervous System: Overview
01:18Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System
Raynaud's disease, also known as Raynaud's...