Aerobic exercise during pregnancy influences infant heart rate variability at one month of age

Abstract Background Previously, we reported that regular maternal aerobic exercise during pregnancy was associated with lower fetal heart rate (HR) and higher heart rate variability (HRV) at 36 weeks gestation. We now report the effect of maternal exercise on infant HR and HRV in subjects who remain...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Early human development 2014-01, Vol.90 (1), p.33-38
Main Authors: May, Linda E, Scholtz, Susan A, Suminski, Richard, Gustafson, Kathleen M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Advanced Basic Science
Autonomic nervous system
Case-Control Studies
Exercise
Female
Fetal programming
Heart Rate
Heart rate variability
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Longitudinal Studies
Magnetocardiology
Male
Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine
Pregnancy
Prospective Studies
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Summary:Abstract Background Previously, we reported that regular maternal aerobic exercise during pregnancy was associated with lower fetal heart rate (HR) and higher heart rate variability (HRV) at 36 weeks gestation. We now report the effect of maternal exercise on infant HR and HRV in subjects who remained active in the study at the one-month follow up visit. Aims We aimed to determine whether differences in fetal cardiac autonomic control related to maternal physical activity were an in utero phenomenon or would persist 1 month after birth. Study design Magnetocardiograms (MCGs) of infants born to regularly exercising (≥ 30 min of aerobic activity, 3 times per week; N = 16) and non-exercising (N = 27) pregnant women were recorded using a fetal biomagnetometer. Normal R-peaks were marked to derive infant HR and HRV in time and frequency domains, including the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), the standard deviation of normal-to-normal interbeat intervals (SDNN), and power in the low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) bands. Group differences were examined with Student's t -tests. Results Infants born to exercising women had significantly higher RMSSD ( P = 0.010), LF power ( P = 0.002), and HF power ( P = 0.004) than those born to women who did not engage in regular physical activity while pregnant. Conclusion Infants born to women who participated in regular physical activity during pregnancy continued to have higher HRV in the infant period. This suggests that the developing cardiac autonomic nervous system is sensitive to the effects of maternal physical activity and is a target for fetal programming.
ISSN:0378-3782
1872-6232
DOI:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2013.11.001