NCT06932250Recruiting
Leg Heating in Pregnant Women With Obesity
Vascular and Neural Mechanisms of Chronic Leg Heating in Pregnant Women With Obesity
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 17 Apr 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Obesity is a major risk factor for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). The underlying mechanisms are largely unclear, but maternal vascular endothelial dysfunction is likely involved. Endothelial dysfunction in HDP could be attributed to 1) alterations in the L-arginine/nitric oxide (NO) pathway, and 2) an increase in endothelin-1 (ET-1). Additionally, augmented sympathetic vasoconstriction may also contribute to HDP. Chronic (repeated) whole-body heat exposure has been shown to increase NO bioavailability, decrease ET-1, and cause functional and structural adaptations in the vasculature. All these can improve vascular function, attenuate sympathetic (re)activity, lower blood pressure (BP), and reduce cardiovascular risk in non-pregnant individuals. Whether this is also true after regional (leg) heating in high-risk pregnant women is unknown. The investigators' central hypothesis is that chronic leg heating will be effective in improving vascular endothelial function and attenuating sympathetic vasoconstriction, leading to a reduction of the risk for HDP in pregnant women with obesity. The overarching goal of this proposal is to determine the vascular and neural effects of chronic leg heating in obese pregnancy. The study team plans to enroll pregnant women with obesity between 12-14 weeks of gestation and randomly assign them to either an intervention group or a control group (1:1 ratio). Participants in the intervention group will perform 16 weeks of home-based leg heating using a portable sauna blanket up to the hip (temperature of the blanket will be set at 65°C, 4 times/week, 45 min/session), whereas women in the control group will set the temperature of the blanket at 35°C at the same frequency and duration. Participants will be evaluated at baseline and then at 28-30 weeks of gestation. Aim 1 will determine the effects of chronic leg heating on maternal vascular function and surrogate markers of HDP. Aim 2 will determine the effects of chronic leg heating on sympathetic vasoconstriction and BP. Findings from this project will provide insight on the extent and potential mechanisms of how chronic leg heating works for improving vascular endothelial function and sympathetic vasoconstriction in pregnant women with obesity. Results obtained will set a foundation for future large multicenter clinical trials to determine the efficacy and generalizability of home-based leg heat therapy as a safe, ease-of-use, cost-effective, and non-drug approach for reducing the risk of HDP.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 118 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 19 Mar 2025
- Start date
- 1 Aug 2025
- Primary completion date
- 31 Jan 2030
- Lead sponsor
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Diseases
- Obesity
- NCT number
- NCT06932250
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 118
- From 1 Aug 2025 to the primary completion date, 31 Jan 2030
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Other illness
- Recurrent miscarriage (three or more, to avoid antiphospholipid antibody syndrome).
- Evidence of cardiovascular, pulmonary, or neurological diseases.
- Diabetes mellitus (to avoid its effects on vascular endothelial function and sympathetic vasoconstriction).
- Clinical known deep vein thrombosis, clinical symptoms and history of deep vein thrombosis, or dermatological lesions.
- History of drug or alcohol abuse within the last 2 years.
Lab values
- Kidney disease (serum creatinine \>0.9 mg/dL).
Other
- Current multiple pregnancies (e.g., twins, triplets, etc.).
- Known major fetal chromosomal or anatomical abnormalities diagnosed during the study.
- Office sitting BP \<100/55 mmHg or \>150/100 mmHg (for safety reasons).
- Current tobacco use.
- Pregnant women who do not have air conditioning at home during summer (for safety reasons).
Who the study is looking for
- Women with overweight or obesity (self-reported pre-pregnancy body mass index ≥25 kg/m2) between 10-14 weeks of gestation and aged 18-45 years old will be enrolled.
- Both normotensive and hypertensive (office sitting systolic BP 140-150 mmHg and/or diastolic BP 90-100 mmHg) pregnant women will be enrolled if they are not on any antihypertensive drug treatment.
- We will enroll both nulliparous and multiparous women.
- There is no restriction regarding race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
- Women with a history of HDP will be allowed to participate.
- Women taking low-dose aspirin will be allowed to participate and aspirin use will be documented.
Age in the registry: 18 years to 45 years · Sex: Female · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| UT Southwestern Medical Center; Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Dallas | United States | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.