An observational study in Fetal Distress, sponsored by Balgrist University Hospital. Recruiting at 2 sites in Switzerland. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 45 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-09.
Sponsored by Balgrist University Hospital · Observational
Effect of acute exercise testing in pregnant athletes on maternal and fetal heart rate, fetal/maternal bloodflow and cardiotocogramm assessment.
The aim of the study is to evaluate in a preliminary step the validity of fetal heart rate measurement with the "Nemo Healthcare Monitoring System" - a wireless non-invasive CTG device. Furthermore, we will determine the reliability for CTG measurements (intraobserver and interobserver reliability) and for ultrasound (intraobserver reliability). The device is approved for use on pregnant women and is regularly used as a CTG device for monitoring fetal heart rate and contractions during childbirth. If in the preliminary step the heart rate measurements with the "Nemo Fetal Monitoring System" provide valid and fetal heart rate results compared to the standard Doppler ultrasound method and provide a reliable detection of fetal heart rate deceleration the effects of phys-ical activity on fetal heart rate pattern and changes in fetal blood flow, placento-fetal and materno-placental blood supply rate will be investigated in the main part of the study in a larger study population.
It is hypothesized that CTG provides technically a valid and reliable continuous re-cording of fetal heart rate values, since fetal heart rate measurement under physical exertion has previously only been possible by intermittent but not continuous Dop-pler ultrasound. Furthermore, we will evaluate alterations in fetal heart rate pattern and changes in fetal blood flow, placento-fetal and materno-placental blood supply according to the level of exertion.
37 studies on the registry are indexed under Fetal Distress; 7 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 20 is below the median of 121 across 12 observational studies indexed under Fetal Distress.
Browse Fetal Distress studies →Balgrist University Hospital is the lead sponsor of 81 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
pregnant athletes
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
incremental cycling test on a bicycle ergometer
fetal heart rate
The fetal heart rate is continuously monitored via the CTG device during the entire performance test.
Time frame: through exercise testing, an average of 90 minutes
Umbilical cord artery pulsatility index
(systolic velocity - diastolic velocity) / mean velocity
Time frame: through exercise testing, an average of 90 minutes
Umbilical cord artery resistance index
(systolic velocity - diastolic velocity) / systolic velocity
Time frame: through exercise testing, an average of 90 minutes
umbilical cord artery S/D ratio
(S = maximum systolic flow velocity; D = maximum diastolic flow velocity)
Time frame: through exercise testing, an average of 90 minutes
Medial cerebral artery pulsatility index
(systolic velocity - diastolic velocity) / mean velocity
Time frame: through exercise testing, an average of 90 minutes
Medial cerebral artery resistance index
(systolic velocity - diastolic velocity) / systolic velocity
Time frame: through exercise testing, an average of 90 minutes
medial cerebral artery peak systolic velocity
in cm/s
Time frame: through exercise testing, an average of 90 minutes
right and left uterine artery pulsatility index
(systolic velocity - diastolic velocity) / mean velocity
Time frame: through exercise testing, an average of 90 minutes
right and left uterine artery resistance index
(systolic velocity - diastolic velocity) / systolic velocity
Time frame: through exercise testing, an average of 90 minutes
cerebro-placental ratio
pulsatility index of the middle cerebral artery / pulsatility index of the umbilical artery
Time frame: through exercise testing, an average of 90 minutes
pregnancy complications
incidence of pregnancy complications (yes/no);
Time frame: during pregnancy and up to12 weeks after birth
birth complications
incidence of birth complications (yes/no);
Time frame: On the day the child is born
mode of delivery
spontaneous birth vs. vacuum-assisted birth vs. forceps-assisted birth vs planned cesarean section vs. unplanned cesarean section
Time frame: On the day the child is born
APGAR score
APGAR score (1-10)
Time frame: On the day the child is born
gestational age at birth
gestational age at birth (in weeks and days);
Time frame: On the day the child is born
pH value of the umbilical cord artery
pH value of the umbilical cord artery mesured directly after birth
Time frame: On the day the child is born
fetal admission to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
admission (yes/no)
Time frame: up to 12 weeks
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Jun 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Oct 2026, 16 months after the start.
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Balgrist University Hospital