Influence of multiparity on sympathetic nerve activity during normal pregnancy

Recent evidence suggests an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease development in multiparous women. Therefore, we investigated the effects of multiparity on within-pregnancy sympathetic neural regulation in normotensive, pregnant women. We retrospectively analyzed heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA; n = 8) data from 10 women whom participated in microneurographic research studies during two sequential pregnancies (i.e., PREG1 and PREG2). There was no difference in resting BP between pregnancies (P > 0.05), whereas HR trended higher in PREG2 versus PREG1 (P = 0.06). MSNA burst frequency was greater in PREG2 versus PREG1 after adjusting for age (32 ± 12 vs. 22 ± 12 bursts/min; P = 0.049), whereas burst incidence did not differ (40 ± 16 vs. 34 ± 17 bursts/100 heartbeats; P = 0.21). Sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity was not different between PREG1 and PREG2 (P > 0.05). Our results may highlight a possible role of altered within-pregnancy sympathetic neural regulation in the observed relationship in women between parity and future cardiovascular disease risk. NEW & NOTEWORTHY To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the effects of multiparity on within-pregnancy sympathetic neural regulation. We observed augmented muscle sympathetic nerve activity in women’s second studied pregnancy versus their first. Conversely, blood pressure and sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity did not differ, whereas a trend for increased heart rate was observed. Our results highlight a possible role of altered within-pregnancy sympathetic neural regulation in the relationship between increased parity and cardiovascular disease development.