| Voluntary exercise in pregnant rats positively influences fetal growth without initiating a maternal physiological stress response. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 21307360 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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The effects of increased physical activity during pregnancy on the health of the offspring in later life are unknown. Research in this field requires an animal model of exercise during pregnancy that is sufficiently strenuous to cause an effect but does not elicit a stress response. Previously we demonstrated that two models of voluntary exercise in the non-pregnant rat, tower climbing and rising to an erect bipedal stance (squat), cause bone modeling without causing elevations of the stress hormone corticosterone. In this study these same models were applied to pregnant rats. Gravid Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, tower climbing, and squat exercise (rising to an erect bipedal stance). The rats exercised throughout pregnancy and were killed at day 19. Maternal stress was assessed by fecal corticosterone measurement. Maternal bone and soft tissue responses to exercise were assessed by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). In comparison to non-exercised pregnant control animals, exercise resulted in less maternal gain of weight during the first 19 days of pregnancy. Fecal corticosterone levels did not differ between the three maternal groups. The fetuses responded to maternal exercise in a uterine position dependent manner. Mid-uterine horn fetuses from the squat exercise group were heavier (p<0.0001), longer (p<0.0001), and had a greater placental weight (p=0.001) than those of control rats. Tower climbing dams had fetuses that were longer (p<0.0001) and had heavier placentas (p=0.01) than those of control rats, but fetal weight did not differ from those of controls. These models of voluntary exercise in the rat may be useful for future studies of the effects of exercise during pregnancy on the developmental origins of health and disease. |
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Authors:
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Brielle V Rosa; Elwyn C Firth; Hugh T Blair; Mark H Vickers; Patrick C H Morel |
Publication Detail:
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Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2011-2-9 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology Volume: - ISSN: 1522-1490 ISO Abbreviation: - Publication Date: 2011 Feb |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2011-2-10 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 100901230 Medline TA: Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol Country: - |
Other Details:
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Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: - |
Affiliation:
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1Massey University. |
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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