The effects of physical activity on arterial stiffness during pregnancy: an observational study

The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and arterial stiffness in pregnancy. Thirty-nine women participated in this study, resulting in 68 measurements in non-pregnant (NP; n = 21), first (TM1; n  = 8), second (TM2; n = 20), and third trimesters (TM3; n = 19). Compliance, distensibility, elasticity, β-stiffness, and carotid to femoral (central) and carotid to finger (peripheral) pulse wave velocity (PWV) were assessed. MVPA was measured using accelerometry. Multilevel linear regressions ad justed for multiple tests per participant using random effects to generate β coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were performed. Distensibility, elasticity, β-stiffness, and central- and peripheral-PWV did not differ between pregnant and non-pregnant assessments. Carotid artery complia nce was higher in TM2 compared with NP. Central PWV (β coefficient: –0.14, 95% CI: –0.27, –0.02) decreased from early to mid-pregnancy and increased in late pregnancy. Meeting the MVPA guidelines was significantly associated with central-PWV (adjusted β coefficient: –0.34, 95% CI: –0.6 2, −0.06, p = 0.016), peripheral-PWV (adjusted β coefficient: –0.54, 95% CI: –0.91, –0.16, p = 0.005), and distensibility (adjusted β coefficient: –0.001, 95% CI: –0.002, –0.0001, p = 0.018), in pregnancy. These results suggest that MVPA may be associated with improved (i.e., re duced) arterial...
Source: Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism - Category: Physiology Authors: Source Type: research