The Role of Mobile Apps in Promoting Cardiovascular Health and Motivation to Exercise During Pregnancy

NCT07166822 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: FF2
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a mobile exercise app in improving cardiovascular health and motivation to exercise in pregnant women who are healthy, in their 2nd trimester, between 18-45 years age, and do not do exercise currently. The aims of this study are determine i) the effect of a mobile app (BumptUp) to increase motivation to exercise as assessed by questionnaire, and ii) the changes may occur in cardiovascular health outcomes such as increased percent Flow-Mediated Dilation (FMD), Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and decreased Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) over an 8-week period of intervention. Researchers will compare this to pregnant women who are healthy, in their 2nd trimester, between 18-45 years age, and who will not be using the mobile app (BumptUp) for exercise. Participants who are in the experimental group will be given access to the mobile app (BumptUp) for 8 weeks. Both the control and experimental group will visit the lab for their baseline measurements (study visit 1), followed by two visits at 4 weeks (study visit 2) and 8 weeks (study visit 3) to have their heart rate variability, arterial stiffness (PWV), and vascular function (FMD) assessed. At each study visit, blood pressure, heart rate, height, and weight will also be measured. Additionally, at all three study visits, participants will fill out a questionnaire to determine motivation to exercise.

Conditions

Cardiovascular (CV) Risk; Exercise

Keywords

pregnant; cardiovascular; mobile app; exercise

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Flow mediated dilation

  The cardiovascular health via flow mediated dilation (% change from baseline) will be assessed

  8 weeks of intervention period

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Arterial stiffness

  8 weeks

Other Outcomes (2)

• Heart rate variability

  8 weeks

• motivation to exercise

  8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Experimental arm who will use the BumptUp mobile exercise app

EXPERIMENTAL

This group will have access to "BumptUp" mobile exercise app and will be provided with an educational brochure (Exercise during pregnancy)

Behavioral: Experimental group using BumptUp mobile exercise app

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

This group will have no access to "BumptUp" mobile exercise app and will only be provided with an educational brochure (Exercise during pregnancy)

Interventions

Experimental group using BumptUp mobile exercise app BEHAVIORAL

This BumptUp app has been developed specifically for pregnancy with safety and screening feature. This intervention will be unique since the researchers will evaluate the cardiovascular health outcomes following the 8 weeks of intervention.

Also known as: BumptUp app

Experimental arm who will use the BumptUp mobile exercise app

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 45 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: Only pregnant women will be recruited
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age: 18-45 years.
• Pregnant women who are 20-24 weeks pregnant at enrollment
• Sedentary, as defined by completing less than 90 minutes of exercise each week.
• Generally healthy, uncomplicated pregnancies.
• Free of physical limitations that may interfere with alterations in daily physical activity levels.
• Single gestation.
• Have a smartphone
• Under the routine medical care of an obstetrician or certified nurse midwife during their current pregnancy.
• Women speaking English.

You may not qualify if:

• Physician diagnosed cardiovascular/ vascular complications (heart disease, high blood pressure, Raynaud's phenomenon etc.)
• Physician diagnosed metabolic diseases (diabetes, hypothyroidism)
• Musculoskeletal injuries (broken bones, back pain, ankle sprain, muscle pull, etc.)
• Medications that may impact blood vessel function such as hypertension medication (Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, Angiotensin receptor blocker, Calcium channel blocker, beta blocker), lipid lowering agents (statins), Nitrates, steroids, etc.
• Complications associated with pregnancy that would be exacerbated by exercise such as lung disease, persistent spotting/bleeding or Placental Previa, premature labor, ruptured membranes, evidence of intrauterine growth restriction, pregnancy induced hypertension or pre-eclampsia, uncontrolled epileptic fits/seizures.
• Smoking within the previous 3 months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Old Dominion University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Virginia, 23529, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Principal Investigator, PhD

CONTACT

757-683-4974; lreynold@odu.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 27, 2025
• First Posted: September 10, 2025
• Study Start: September 15, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2028
• Last Updated: September 10, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)