Effect of Isometric Handgrip Exercise on Blood Pressure in Pregnant Women
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexFemale
Age18-45
SponsorUniversity of Poitiers
About this trial
Hypertension during pregnancy is a major public health concern, increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications for both the mother and the fetus. Women with chronic hypertension are at higher risk of adverse outcomes, and elevated blood pressure during pregnancy has also been associated with long-term cardiovascular and cognitive impairments.Regular physical activity is recognized as an effective non-pharmacological strategy to reduce blood pressure. Among different exercise modalities, isometric exercise has shown promising effects in lowering blood pressure in the general population, with minimal cardiovascular strain. However, its effects and safety in pregnant women, particularly those with hypertension, remain poorly understood.In addition to cardiovascular alterations, hypertension during pregnancy may also impact cognitive function, potentially through changes in cerebral perfusion and vascular function. Despite these associations, the combined cardiovascular and cognitive responses to exercise in this population have not been fully explored.This study aims to investigate the effects of isometric handgrip exercise on cardiovascular and cognitive responses in pregnant women with and without chronic hypertension, in order to better understand its potential as a safe and effective non-pharmacological intervention during pregnancy.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Pregnant women covered by the French National Health Insurance system
Pregnant women who do not object to participation in the study
Women with chronic hypertension present before pregnancy (diagnosed within the past 5 years), defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mmHg, without antihypertensive treatment
Normotensive pregnant women, defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) < 90 mmHg before pregnancy
Disqualifiers
Current treatment for chronic or gestational hypertension
Known cardiovascular disease other than chronic hypertension
Age under 18 years
Persons deprived of liberty
Trial design
Design model
Crossover
Treatments tested in this trial
Isometric Handgrip Exercise
BehavioralIsometric handgrip exercise performed at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction, consisting of four 2-minute contractions with one-minute rest intervals between efforts. The exercise is performed using a handgrip dynamometer.
Control Rest
BehavioralSeated rest condition without exercise, used as a control comparison to the isometric handgrip intervention.
Treatment groups
30 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Normotensive Pregnant WomenOther 2 interventions
Group B: Hypertensive Pregnant WomenOther 2 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (ambulatory blood pressure measurement)
Post-exercise hypotension, using the Mobil-O-Graph (mmHg).
Time frame
After sessions (24 hours)Secondary outcomes
1
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (resting)
Automated oscillometric tensiometer (mmHg)
Time frame
Before and after sessions (15 minutes)2
Central blood pressure
Central systolic and diastolic blood pressure assessed using pulse wave analysis derived from brachial oscillometric measurements.
Time frame
Baseline and post-intervention during sessions (30 minutes)3
Pulse wave velocity
Arterial stiffness assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity using applanation tonometry. This measurement is performed at rest to characterize vascular health.
Time frame
Baseline4
Heart rate
Heart rate measured during each experimental session and recovery period using a heart rate monitor to assess cardiovascular response to the intervention.
Time frame
Basline, before and after sessions (15 minutes)Sponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
University of Poitiers
Lead sponsor
Poitiers University Hospital
Collaborator
Laboratory MOVE, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Poitiers, France
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov