On the distinct differences in autonomic regulation between pregnant and non-pregnant women - a heart rate variability analysis

Objective. Appropriate adaptation of the maternal autonomic nervous system to progressing gestation is essential to a healthy pregnancy. This is partly evidenced by the association between pregnancy complications and autonomic dysfunction. Therefore, assessing maternal heart rate variability (HRV) —a proxy measure for autonomic activity—may offer insights into maternal health, potentially enabling the early detection of complications. However, identifying abnormal maternal HRV requires a thorough understanding of normal maternal HRV. While HRV in women of childbearing age has been extensi vely investigated, less is known concerning HRV during pregnancy. Subsequently, we investigate the differences in HRV between healthy pregnant women and their non-pregnant counterparts. Approach. We use a comprehensive suite of HRV features (assessing sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, heart rate (HR) complexity, HR fragmentation, and autonomic responsiveness) to quantify HRV in large groups of healthy pregnant (n = 258) and non-pregnant women (n = 252). We compare the statistical significance and effect size of the potential differences between the groups. Main results. We find signifi cantly increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity during healthy pregnancy, along with significantly attenuated autonomic responsiveness, which we hypothesize serves as a protective mechanism against sympathetic overactivity. HRV differences between these groups typically had a la...
Source: Physiological Measurement - Category: Physiology Authors: Source Type: research