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Respiratory function in pregnancy at sea level and at high altitude

  1. Fionnuala McAuliffe1,*,
  2. Nikos Kametas1,
  3. Jimmy Espinoza1,
  4. Anne Greenough2,
  5. Kypros Nicolaides1

Article first published online: 30 JAN 2004

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00081.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 111, Issue 4, pages 311–315, April 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

McAuliffe, F., Kametas, N., Espinoza, J., Greenough, A. and Nicolaides, K. (2004), Respiratory function in pregnancy at sea level and at high altitude. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 111: 311–315. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00081.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Harris Birthright Research Centre of Fetal Medicine, King's College, London, UK

  2. 2

    Department of Child Health, King's College, London, UK

* Dr F. McAuliffe, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital, 700 University Avenue, Toronto ON M5G 1X5, Canada.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 4 MAR 2004
  2. Article first published online: 30 JAN 2004
  3. Accepted 16 November 2003

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Objective  To determine the effect of pregnancy on respiratory function in a non-Caucasian group and determine whether there was an interaction between pregnancy and altitude of residence.

Design  Prospective cross sectional study.

Setting  Antenatal clinics in Peru, at sea level in Lima and at high altitude in Cerro de Pasco.

Sample  Peruvian women with singleton pregnancies; 122 living at sea level and 192 living at 4300 m altitude in the Peruvian Andes. At each location, 19 non-pregnant women were also studied.

Methods  Respiratory function was measured in pregnant and non-pregnant women living at sea level and at 4300 m.

Main outcome measures  Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), total lung capacity (TLC), inspiratory capacity (IC), residual volume (RV), expiratory residual volume (ERV) and functional residual capacity (FRC).

Results  At sea level, RV and TLC were higher in the third compared with the first trimester (P < 0.05). At high altitude, FEV1 (P < 0.01), ERV (P < 0.01) and FRC (P < 0.01) were lower in the third compared with the first trimester. Pregnant and non-pregnant women at high altitude were 4 cm shorter (P < 0.0001) and had larger lung volumes (P < 0.01); their total lung capacities were approximately 1 L greater than women living at sea level (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion  These results suggest that the effect of pregnancy on the respiratory function of healthy women is influenced by altitude of residence.

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