Tung Irene, Cannova Elena, Balaji Uma, Peredia Arianna, Hipwell Alison E
Biopsychosoc Sci Med. 2025 Sep 1;87(7):483-492. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000001400. Epub 2025 Aug 7.
High levels of stress during pregnancy can impact the health of pregnant individuals and their developing infants. Wearable biosensor devices offer noninvasive, continuous monitoring of stress physiology through heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of autonomic nervous system function and emotion regulation. This study aimed to examine the validity and acceptability of the movisens EcgMove4 device for measuring heart rate (HR) and HRV in a diverse community sample of pregnant women.
Participants were 101 women (64.4% Black, 26.7% White, 2.0% multiracial) in their second or third trimester of pregnancy. HR and HRV were measured using the EcgMove4 and a traditional electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor during a 5-minute resting period. Participants then wore the EcgMove4 for 10 days and completed an exit interview providing quantitative burden ratings and qualitative feedback about their experience.
The EcgMove4 demonstrated high correlations with the reference device for HR (r = 0.95) and HRV (RMSSD; r = 0.98). Bland-Altman analyses revealed slight overestimation of HR in the third trimester (bias = 0.39 bpm). Signal quality did not differ by race but was worse for women using XL chest bands. Participants wore the device for an average of 8.9 days (9.7 h/d) and reported low perceived burden (mean = 3/10). However, 16% experienced skin irritation, and burden increased during hotter weather.
The EcgMove4 shows promise as a valid and acceptable tool for monitoring HRV during pregnancy, though potential limitations for larger body sizes should be addressed. These findings may enable future research on stress physiology and emotion regulation in perinatal mental health.
孕期的高压力水平会影响孕妇及其发育中胎儿的健康。可穿戴生物传感器设备能够通过心率变异性（HRV）对压力生理进行无创、持续监测，HRV是自主神经系统功能和情绪调节的一个指标。本研究旨在检验movisens EcgMove4设备在不同社区孕妇样本中测量心率（HR）和HRV的有效性和可接受性。
研究对象为101名处于妊娠中期或晚期的女性（64.4%为黑人，26.7%为白人，2.0%为多种族）。在5分钟的静息期内，使用EcgMove4和传统心电图（ECG）监测仪测量HR和HRV。然后，参与者佩戴EcgMove4长达10天，并完成一次退出访谈，提供关于其体验的定量负担评分和定性反馈。
EcgMove4与HR（r = 0.95）和HRV（RMSSD；r = 0.98）的参考设备显示出高度相关性。Bland-Altman分析显示，妊娠晚期HR略有高估（偏差 = 0.39次/分钟）。信号质量不因种族而异，但使用加大号胸带的女性信号质量更差。参与者平均佩戴该设备8.9天（9.7小时/天），报告的感知负担较低（平均 = 3/10）。然而，16%的人出现皮肤刺激，且在天气较热时负担增加。
EcgMove4有望成为孕期监测HRV的有效且可接受的工具，不过应解决较大体型人群的潜在局限性。这些发现可能有助于未来围产期心理健康中压力生理和情绪调节的研究。
