Acute cardiovascular responses to slow and deep breathing in normotensive non-pregnant and pregnant women.
- 1Centre for Midwifery & Women's Health, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, United Kingdom.
- 2University Hospitals Dorset, NHS Foundation Trust, Bournemouth, United Kingdom.
Abstract
To compare the acute cardiovascular responses of non-pregnant and pregnant women to slow and deep breathing (SDB) at a range of breathing frequencies. Participants: Forty-one women (23 non-pregnant and 18 pregnant). Participants completed five different breathing conditions in a randomised order (5-min duration); spontaneous breathing (Sfr ), dynamic SDB breathing frequency (Dfr ), and three fixed breathing frequencies of 4 breaths. min-1 (4Ffr ), 6 breaths. min-1 (6Ffr ), and 8 breaths. min-1 (8Ffr ). Main Outcome Measures: Non-invasive beat-to-beat arterial blood pressure, heart rate and respired airflow were monitored continuously. The maximum amplitude of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during SDB was 2.1 times higher than during spontaneous breathing (Sfr ) for both groups, maximising at 6 breaths. min-1 (0.25s ± 0.1 non-pregnant, 0.15s ± 0.1 pregnant). Although absolute RSA was significantly lower in pregnant women during spontaneous breathing (Sfr ; 0.07s vs. 0.12s non-pregnant), SDB increased RSA to the same level as non-pregnant women's spontaneous breathing levels. In both groups, the amplitude of blood pressure oscillations (both systolic and diastolic blood pressure) increased as breathing frequency declined, reaching a peak at 4 breaths. min-1 (4Ffr ), which was up to 4.5 times higher (14.3%, 10 mmHg) than during spontaneous breathing (Sfr ). Cardiovascular responses maximised at ≤6 breaths. min-1 and acute haemodynamic responses to SDB are similar in pregnant and non-pregnant women, despite absolute differences under spontaneous breathing conditions. If blood pressure oscillations underpin the anti-hypertensive effect of SDB, the data indicate that these can be amplified in pregnant women at frequencies between 4 and 6 breaths. min-1.
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BibTeX
@article{felton2026acute,
title = {{Acute cardiovascular responses to slow and deep breathing in normotensive non-pregnant and pregnant women.}},
author = {Malika Felton and Stephanie Grigsby and Vanora A Hundley},
journal = {Frontiers in network physiology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fnetp.2026.1913383},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42952596},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Acute cardiovascular responses to slow and deep breathing in normotensive non-pregnant and pregnant women.
AU - Malika Felton
AU - Stephanie Grigsby
AU - Vanora A Hundley
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Frontiers in network physiology
DO - 10.3389/fnetp.2026.1913383
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42952596
AB - To compare the acute cardiovascular responses of non-pregnant and pregnant women to slow and deep breathing (SDB) at a range of breathing frequencies. Participants: Forty-one women (23 non-pregnant and 18 pregnant). Participants completed five different breathing conditions in a randomised order (5-min duration); spontaneous breathing (Sfr ), dynamic SDB breathing frequency (Dfr ), and three fixed breathing frequencies of 4 breaths. min-1 (4Ffr ), 6 breaths. min-1 (6Ffr ), and 8 breaths. min-1 (8Ffr ). Main Outcome Measures: Non-invasive beat-to-beat arterial blood pressure, heart rate and respired airflow were monitored continuously. The maximum amplitude of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during SDB was 2.1 times higher than during spontaneous breathing (Sfr ) for both groups, maximising at 6 breaths. min-1 (0.25s ± 0.1 non-pregnant, 0.15s ± 0.1 pregnant). Although absolute RSA was significantly lower in pregnant women during spontaneous breathing (Sfr ; 0.07s vs. 0.12s non-pregnant), SDB increased RSA to the same level as non-pregnant women's spontaneous breathing levels. In both groups, the amplitude of blood pressure oscillations (both systolic and diastolic blood pressure) increased as breathing frequency declined, reaching a peak at 4 breaths. min-1 (4Ffr ), which was up to 4.5 times higher (14.3%, 10 mmHg) than during spontaneous breathing (Sfr ). Cardiovascular responses maximised at ≤6 breaths. min-1 and acute haemodynamic responses to SDB are similar in pregnant and non-pregnant women, despite absolute differences under spontaneous breathing conditions. If blood pressure oscillations underpin the anti-hypertensive effect of SDB, the data indicate that these can be amplified in pregnant women at frequencies between 4 and 6 breaths. min-1.
SN - 2674-0109
ER -