Fetal and maternal Doppler adaptation to maternal exercise during pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial

Figures & data

Figure 1. Patients’ flow diagram.

Table 1. Maternal and pregnancy characteristics of the study population.

	Control group (N = 51)	Exercise group (N = 41)
Age (years)	33.0 (30.0, 35.5)	33.0 (31.0, 35.0)
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	23.0 (20.2, 25.4)	21.9 (20.7, 24.0)
Ethnicity
Caucasian	48 (94.1%)	40 (97.6%)
Latin-American	3 (5.9%)	1 (2.4%)
Conception method
Natural	48 (94.1%)	40 (97.6%)
Assisted	3 (5.9%)	1 (2.4%)
Previous smoking
No	29 (56.9%)	31 (75.6%)
Yes	22 (43.1%)	10 (24.4%)
Smoking during pregnancy
No	43 (84.3%)	40 (97.6%)*
Yes	8 (15.7%)	1 (2.4%)*
Parity
Nulliparous	38 (74.5%)	31 (75.6%)
Multiparous	13 (25.5%)	10 (24.4%)
Exercise before pregnancy
No activity	10 (19.6%)	4 (9.8%)
Occasional exercise	18 (35.3%)	11 (26.8%)
Active	16 (31.4%)	13 (31.7%)
Athlete	7 (13.7%)	13 (31.7%)
Other physical activity during pregnancy
Walking (minutes/week)	240 (130, 420)	240 (120, 450)
Domestic work (minutes/week)	420 (225, 840)	420 (240, 840)
On foot (minutes/day)	180 (120, 300)	180 (150, 278)
Preeclampsia
No	48 (94.1%)	41 (100%)
Yes	3 (5.88%)	0 (0%)
Hypertension
No	50 (98.0%)	41 (100%)
Yes	1 (1.96%)	0 (0%)
Fetal birth weight (centile)	28.2 (11.2, 55.3)	32.4 (6.45, 47.7)
Intrauterine growth restriction (<3rd centile)	6 (11.8%)	5 (12.2%)
Small for gestational age (3rd to 10th centile)	7 (13.7%)	8 (19.5%)
Large for gestational age (>95th centile)	2 (3.92%)	0 (0%)
Gestational diabetes
No	50 (98.0%)	39 (95.1%)
Yes	1 (1.96%)	2 (4.88%)

Results are presented as median (interquartile range) or as frequency (percentage) as appropriate.

* p < .05.

Table 2. Doppler parameters in the two study groups at the 20-, 28-, and 35-weeks’ gestation assessments.

	Control group (N = 51)	Exercise group (N = 41)
Umbilical artery pulsatility index (z-score)
20 weeks’ assessment	–0.149 (–0.612, 0.635)	0.545 (–0.149, 1.14)
Missing data	8 (15.7%)	2 (4.9%)
28 weeks’ assessment	–0.00300 (–0.628, 0.565)	0.195 (–0.310, 0.463)
Missing data	4 (7.8%)	2 (4.9%)
35 weeks’ assessment	0.114 (–0.337, 1.12)	–0.0755 (–0.558, 0.603)
Missing data	5 (9.8%)	1 (2.4%)
Middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (z-score)
20 weeks’ assessment	0.103 (–0.684, 0.721)	0.301 (–0.196, 0.773)
Missing data	7 (13.7%)	2 (4.9%)
28 weeks’ assessment	2.02 (1.77, 2.36)	2.04 (1.85, 2.23)
Missing data	4 (7.8%)	4 (9.8%)
35 weeks’ assessment	1.84 (1.59, 2.10)	1.83 (1.62, 2.12)
Missing data	6 (11.8%)	2 (4.9%)
Cerebral placental ratio (z-score)
20 weeks’ assessment	0.146 (–0.511, 0.773)	–0.153 (–0.490, 0.377)
Missing data	8 (15.7%)	3 (7.3%)
28 weeks’ assessment	0.438 (–0.519, 1.18)	0.386 (–0.378, 0.888)
Missing data	5 (9.8%)	4 (9.8%)
35 weeks’ assessment	–0.293 (–0.880, 0.442)	0.123 (–0.961, 0.536)
Missing data	6 (11.8%)	3 (7.3%)
Mean uterine arteries pulsatility index (MoMs)
20 weeks’ assessment	0.771 (0.693, 0.982)	0.837 (0.672, 1.09)
Missing data	9 (17.6%)	1 (2.4%)
28 weeks’ assessment	0.997 (0.915, 1.24)	1.02 (0.835, 1.29)
Missing data	5 (9.8%)	3 (7.3%)
35 weeks’ assessment	0.974 (0.858, 1.16)	0.976 (0.829, 1.25)
Missing data	7 (13.7%)	2 (4.9%)

MoMs: multiples of the median.

Results are presented as median (interquartile range).

Figure 2. Evolution of the fetal umbilical artery pulsatility index (z-score) throughout pregnancy in the control group (empty circles and discontinued grey regression line) and in the exercise group (black circles and black regression line).