Baby Development – Kansas City University Finds Exercise during Pregnancy Leads to a Healthier Heart in Moms and Babies to Be

By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist

Many expecting mothers wonder if they should continue with their exercise routine during pregnancy or even begin a new exercise routine.  Previously, studies have found that exercise can have positive affects on pregnancy but lacked specific details.  A new study by Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences reveals that exercising while expecting helps create a healthy heart for both mother and baby.

Researchers speculated that maternal exercise can indeed have cardiac benefits for the fetus by increasing heart rate variability and reducing fetal heart rate. Of the 10 women in the study, each was classified as an exerciser or a control (a non-exerciser) and the women were then grouped according to the length, frequency, and intensity of their exercise regime. 

The main component in the study responsible for the findings was the use of magnetocardiography (MCG), which is a magnetic parallel to the more common electrocardiogram (ECG).  The MCG is a non-invasive, safe way to record the magnetic field surrounding the electrical currents from the fetal cardiovascular and nervous systems. Measuring both heart rate and variability, the MCG also enables the measure of cardiac time intervals. 

Fetal MCG recordings of body and mouth movements in addition to breathing were noted from 24 weeks to full term.  These recordings, performed in 4 week intervals including postnatal, allowed researchers to track fetal heart rate accelerations.  The key findings included lower hearts in the fetuses that had mothers who exercised regardless of gestational age as well as statistically significant differences of short and long term heart variability. 

Although this pilot study was small, researchers hope the positive results lead to more research on the health of expecting women.  Many women nowadays can exercise safely throughout their pregnancies.  Benefits include feeling better, decreased constipation, helping prepare the body for childbirth, and assisting in regaining pre-pregnancy shape.  If you decide to initiate a new exercise routine during pregnancy, be sure to discuss the types of exercises appropriate for expecting women with your health care practitioner.  For more exercise do’s and don’ts during pregnancy, visit Naturodoc

Resource:
American Physiological Society (2008, April 10). Exercise During Pregnancy Leads To A Healthier Heart In Moms- And Babies-to-be.