This proposal is designed to prospectively examine the interaction between two types of endurance exercise and the course and outcome of pregnancy. Its goal is to test the broad hypothesis that, above a threshold level, endurance types of exercise have a negative, dose-response effect on multiple aspects of the reproductive process in female recreational endurance athletes. Data addressing potential mechanisms for this effect will be obtained by evaluating each subject's physiological response to exercise. Over 5 years the actual exercise performance and the cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, and thermal response to two types of endurance exercise will be evaluated in 150 well-conditioned women prior to and during pregnancy. 75 runners and 75 aerobic dancers form the study populace which will be prospectively matched with a control group. Subsets of these groups will be used to evaluate specific physiological responses in greater detail. Methodologies include: underwater weighing and skinfold measurements for assessing body composition; a daily exercise log and portable heart rate monitor for assessing actual exercise performance; treadmill testing with appropriate respiratory and thermal equipment for assessing VO2 max and the metabolic, respiratory and thermal response to exercise; menstrual record, Beta-subunit and ultrasound for accurate pregnancy dating, standard enzymati and RIA methodologies for measurement of blood levels of catecholamines, glucose, lactate, insulin and cortisol; and standard morphometric techniques for assessment of fetal, placental and neonatal growth. The physiological data and exercise log will be used to calculate both time-specific and cumulative exercise stress expressed as a duration-intensity index. This independent variable will be correlated with multiple reproductive outcome variables such as: fertility; early and late pregnancy complications; course of labor and delivery; neonatal and placental morphometrics; and, growth through the first year of life. Specific subsets of physiological data will be used to assess the potential mechanisms likely to be involved in the interaction. Currently, there is a paucity of information in this area and the information obtained will have direct application to 25% of women considering pregnancy.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD021268-03
Application #
3320079
Study Section
Reproductive Biology Study Section (REB)
Project Start
1986-04-01
Project End
1990-03-31
Budget Start
1988-04-01
Budget End
1989-03-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1988
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Vermont & St Agric College
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
066811191
City
Burlington
State
VT
Country
United States
Zip Code
05405
Clapp 3rd, James F (2008) Long-term outcome after exercising throughout pregnancy: fitness and cardiovascular risk. Am J Obstet Gynecol 199:489.e1-6
Jeffreys, R M; Stepanchak, W; Lopez, B et al. (2006) Uterine blood flow during supine rest and exercise after 28 weeks of gestation. BJOG 113:1239-47
Clapp, J F (2006) Influence of endurance exercise and diet on human placental development and fetal growth. Placenta 27:527-34
Clapp 3rd, James F; Schmidt, Stephanie; Paranjape, Aditi et al. (2004) Maternal insulin-like growth factor-I levels (IGF-I) reflect placental mass and neonatal fat mass. Am J Obstet Gynecol 190:730-6
Bergmann, A; Zygmunt, M; Clapp 3rd, J F (2004) Running throughout pregnancy: effect on placental villous vascular volume and cell proliferation. Placenta 25:694-8
Clapp 3rd, James F (2003) The effects of maternal exercise on fetal oxygenation and feto-placental growth. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 110 Suppl 1:S80-5
Clapp 3rd, James F; Little, Kathleen D; Widness, John A (2003) Effect of maternal exercise and fetoplacental growth rate on serum erythropoietin concentrations. Am J Obstet Gynecol 188:1021-5
Clapp 3rd, James F; Kim, Hyungjin; Burciu, Brindusa et al. (2002) Continuing regular exercise during pregnancy: effect of exercise volume on fetoplacental growth. Am J Obstet Gynecol 186:142-7
Clapp 3rd, James F (2002) Maternal carbohydrate intake and pregnancy outcome. Proc Nutr Soc 61:45-50
Clapp 3rd, J F; Kim, H; Burciu, B et al. (2000) Beginning regular exercise in early pregnancy: effect on fetoplacental growth. Am J Obstet Gynecol 183:1484-8

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