relationship between maternal moderate exercise and fetal well being during the third trimester of pregnancy

ABSTRACT

Thirty healthy pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy were subjected to moderate exercise. Both the maternal measurements [heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure] and fetal measurements [fetal breathing, fetal movements and fetal heart rate] with umbilical arterial resistance indices [systolic/diastolic, pulsatility index and resistance index] were taken before and after maternal exercise. The obtained data indicated that there was significant increase in maternal heart rate, respiratory rate and in systolic blood pressure with an insignificant decrease in diastolic blood pressure, and concerning fetal parameters, there was a significant increase in fetal breathing, fetal movement, fetal heart rate. In the mean time there was insignificant decrease in systolic to diastolic ratio, pulsatility and resistance indices in the umbilical artery. The above findings suggested that moderate maternal exercise was safe for both the mother and her fetus during the third trimester of pregnancy in healthy women