Fetal responses to maternal exercise: effect on fetal breathing and body movement

This study was conducted to determine the impact of maternal exercise on fetal breathing and fetal body movement, which are commonly used for assessing fetal well-being. Twelve healthy patients with a range of gestational ages of 26 to 36 weeks, who actively exercised throughout pregnancy, participated in the study. The patients walked on a motorized treadmill using a modified Bruce protocol until the maternal heart rate reached 75% of the age-predicted maximal heart rate. Fetal activities (fetal breathing and fetal body movement) were continuously monitored with real-time ultrasonography for 20 minutes before and after the standardized exercise test. Our results demonstrate that there is a significant increase in maternal heart rate and blood pressure associated with exercise. In addition, there is a significant decrease in the total duration and frequency of fetal breathing and fetal body movements following acute maternal exercise.