To investigate the blood oxygenation response to aerobic and breathing exercises in pregnant women. Participants and methods: A total of forty pregnant women participated in the study who were at the beginning of 3rd trimester. Their ages ranged from 25 to 30 years and their body mass index (BMI) was less than 30 kg/m2. They were assigned into two groups (A) performed aerobic exercises in a form of walking for 20-30 min. on treadmill at 60-75% of the target heart rate (THR) of each women, 3 times per week in addition to deep breathing exercises in form of diaphragmatic and lateral costal breathing, group (B) who performed deep breathing exercises only in form of diaphragmatic and lateral costal breathing. The program continued for 3 months, 3 times per week. The oxygen saturation (SaO2) was measured twice time firstly, at the beginning of 3rd trimester of pregnancy then after 3 months that at 24, 36 gestation weeks.

Forty volunteers pregnant women at the beginning of 3rd trimester participated in this study. They were selected randomly from the gynecological outpatient clinic, at Kasr El Eini Universal Hospital, their ages were ranged from 25 to 30 years and body mass index indices (BMI) were less than 30 kg/m2. All participants were pregnant woman at the beginning of the 3rd trimester 12 weeks. Exclusion criteria of the study were as follows: Participant who had pulmonary diseases, cardiovascular diseases and psychiatric disorders.

Participants were assigned randomly used sealed envelope into two groups (A&B) equally in number. Group (A): Consisted of twenty pregnant woman at the beginning of the 3rd trimester. They performed aerobic exercise training in the form of walking on treadmill for 20 min, 3 times per week for 12 weeks. Then performed deep breathing exercises in form of diaphragmatic and lateral costal breathing. Group (B): Consisted of twenty pregnant woman at the beginning of the 3rd trimester who performed deep breathing exercises only in form of diaphragmatic and lateral costal breathing.

Methods Before the start of the first session, each pregnant woman was informed about program of exercises and informed consent form was signed from each woman before participation in the study. This study was conducted at from January 2018 to September 2019.

1-Aerobic exercises for all participants in group A: Women performed aerobic exercises in a form of walking for 20 min on treadmill 3 times per week for 12 weeks.

Treadmill: (power 220-V., 50/60 Hz): its speed, inclination and timer are adjustable and it also provided with control plane to display the exercises parameters

Intensity of exercises: The intensity of exercises was calculated as 60-75% of her target heart rate (THR) [11] (Q'Sullivan and Schmitz, 1999) as follow:

THR= {60-75% (HR max - HR rest)} + HR rest.

Where:

HR rest: resting heart rate in beat minute. MRH (Maximum heart rate=220 - Age in years) [12]

Inclusion Criteria:

• their ages were ranged from 25 to 30 years
• body mass index (BMI) were less than 30 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participant who had pulmonary diseases
• cardiovascular diseases
• psychiatric disorders

investigate the blood oxygenation response to aerobic and breathing exercises in pregnant women

3 months

3 months

The women were randomly assigned to the treatment group(A) (n=25) or the control group (B) (n=25) by an independent person who selected numbers from sealed envelopes that containing numbers chosen by a random number generator.