Cardiac Responses to Submaximal Isometric Contraction and Aerobic Exercise in Healthy Pregnancy

The increased physiological demand of pregnancy results in the profound adaptation of the maternal cardiovascular system, reflected by greater resting cardiac output and left ventricular (LV) deformation. Whether the increased resting demand alters acute cardiac responses to exercise in healthy pregnant women is not well understood.Healthy nonpregnant (n = 18), pregnant (n = 14, 22-26 wk gestation), and postpartum women (n = 13, 12-16 wk...