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Kember AJ, Anderson JL, Gorazd NE, House SC, Kerr KE, Torres Loza PA, Reuter DG, Hobson SR, Goergen CJ. Maternal posture-physiology interactions in human pregnancy: a narrative review. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1370079. [PMID: 39100275 PMCID: PMC11294255 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1370079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
There are several well-known medical conditions in which posture and gravity interact with natural history, including pregnancy. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of interactions between maternal posture and maternal physiology and pathophysiology at rest during pregnancy. We conducted a systematic literature search of the MEDLINE database and identified 644 studies from 1991 through 2021, inclusive, that met our inclusion criteria. We present a narrative review of the resulting literature and highlight discrepancies, research gaps, and potential clinical implications. We organize the results by organ system and, commencing with the neurological system, proceed in our synthesis generally in the craniocaudal direction, concluding with the skin. The circulatory system warranted our greatest and closest consideration-literature concerning the dynamic interplay between physiology (heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, blood pressure, and systemic vascular resistance), pathophysiology (e.g., hypertension in pregnancy), and postural changes provide an intricate and fascinating example of the importance of the subject of this review. Other organ systems discussed include respiratory, renal, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, abdominal, and endocrine. In addition to summarizing the existing literature on maternal posture-physiology interactions, we also point out gaps and opportunities for further research and clinical developments in this area. Overall, our review provides both insight into and relevance of maternal posture-physiology interactions vis à vis healthcare's mission to improve health and wellness during pregnancy and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan J. Kember
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Shiphrah Biomedical Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer L. Anderson
- Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Natalyn E. Gorazd
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Sarah C. House
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Medical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Katherine E. Kerr
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Paula A. Torres Loza
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - David G. Reuter
- Cardiac Innovations, Seattle Children’s, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Sebastian R. Hobson
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Craig J. Goergen
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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Yousif D, Bellos I, Penzlin AI, Hijazi MM, Illigens BMW, Pinter A, Siepmann T. Autonomic Dysfunction in Preeclampsia: A Systematic Review. Front Neurol 2019; 10:816. [PMID: 31447757 PMCID: PMC6691156 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is a major obstetric complication that leads to severe maternal and fetal morbidity. Early detection of preeclampsia can reduce the severity of complications and improve clinical outcomes. It is believed that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is involved in the pathogenesis of PE. We aimed to review the current literature on the prevalence and nature of ANS dysfunction in women with PE and the possible prognostic value of ANS testing in the early detection of PE. Methods: Literature search was performed using Medline (1966–2018), EMBase (1947–2018), Google Scholar (1970–2018), BIOSIS (1926–2018), Web of science (1900–2018); CINAHL (1937–2018); Cochrane Library, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Cochrane Methodology Register (1999–2018). Additionally, the reference lists of articles included were screened. Results: A total of 26 studies were included in the present review presenting data of 1,854 pregnant women. Among these women, 453 were diagnosed with PE, 93.6% (424/453) of which displayed autonomic dysfunction. ANS function was assessed by cardiovascular reflex tests (n = 9), heart rate variability (n = 11), cardiac baroreflex gain (n = 5), muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) (n = 3), and biomarkers of sympathetic activity (n = 4). Overall, 21 studies (80.8%) reported at least one of the following abnormalities in ANS function in women diagnosed with PE compared to healthy pregnant control women: reduced parasympathetic activity (n = 16/21, 76%), increased sympathetic activity (n = 12/20, 60%), or reduced baroreflex gain (n = 4/5, 80%). Some of these studies indicated that pressor and orthostatic stress test may be useful in early pregnancy to help estimate the risk of developing PE. However, autonomic function tests seem not to be able to differentiate between mild and severe PE. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that autonomic dysfunction is highly prevalent in pre-eclamptic women. Among autonomic functions, cardiovascular reflexes appear to be predominantly affected, seen as reduced cardiac parasympathetic activity and elevated cardiac sympathetic activity. The diagnostic value of autonomic testing in the prediction and monitoring of autonomic failure in pre-eclamptic women remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Yousif
- Division of Healthcare Sciences, Center for Clinical Research and Management Education, Dresden International University, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ioannis Bellos
- Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research N.S. Christeas, Athens University Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ana Isabel Penzlin
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mido Max Hijazi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ben Min-Woo Illigens
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alexandra Pinter
- Division of Healthcare Sciences, Center for Clinical Research and Management Education, Dresden International University, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Family Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Timo Siepmann
- Division of Healthcare Sciences, Center for Clinical Research and Management Education, Dresden International University, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Salazar C, Torres J, Nieto-Villar JM. Non-Linear Analysis Approach of Maternal Heart Rate Patterns in Normal and Pre-Eclamptic Pregnancies. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1080/10273660412331319477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Identification of the pregnant woman prone to develop pre-eclampsia later during her course of the pregnancy is a clinical challenge in clinical obstetrics. A new and non-invasive approach to detect abnormalities in pre-eclamptic women that differentiate from women with uneventful pregnancies is presented here. We applied non-linear and fractal features for classifying the dynamical complexity of the heart rate (HR) patterns corresponding to seven normal subjects and eight pre-eclamptic patients. Significant differences in the estimated largest Lyapunov exponent and in the correlation dimension between normotensive women and those with pre-eclampsia were found, suggesting they may have potential as new markers for pre-eclampsia. HR patterns in healthy and pre-eclamptic pregnancies correspond to complex non-linear dynamics, which could arise from the contribution of stochastic and chaotic components. HR of pre-eclamptic patients also revealed a more regular dynamic behavior than those belonging to normal pregnancies, corroborating the general observation that diseased states may be associated with regular HR patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Salazar
- Theoretische Biophysik/Institut für Biologie, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstr 42, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Joel Torres
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana, Avda. Zapata y G, CP 10400, La Habana, Cuba
| | - José M. Nieto-Villar
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana, Avda. Zapata y G, CP 10400, La Habana, Cuba
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