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Published on: December 29, 2016
Sleep and vigilance disorders in pregnancy
Jean-Philippe Neau1, Bénédicte Texier, Pierre Ingrand
1Department of Neurology, CHU La Milétrie, Poitiers, France. jph.neau@chu-poitiers.fr
European Neurology
|May 2, 2009
Summary
Pregnancy significantly disrupts sleep quality, with insomnia and snoring increasing throughout gestation. However, daytime sleepiness was most prevalent in the first trimester for these women.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Sleep Medicine
- Perinatal Health
Background:
- Sleep disturbances are common during pregnancy.
- Understanding the prevalence and evolution of sleep disorders across trimesters is crucial for maternal care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize sleep disorders and daytime sleepiness in a French pregnant population.
- To assess the frequency of these sleep issues by trimester.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study utilizing retrospective and prospective surveys.
- 871 pregnant women completed questionnaires on sleep before and during pregnancy.
Main Results:
- Insomnia, non-refreshing sleep, and frequent awakenings affected over 75% of women by the second and third trimesters.
- Causes included urinary urgency, fetal movements, backache, and restless legs syndrome.
- Snoring increased to over 18% nightly, while vigilance decreased and napping increased in over 75% of participants.
Conclusions:
- Subjective sleep quality deteriorates progressively throughout pregnancy.
- Excessive daytime sleepiness presented primarily in the first trimester.
- These findings highlight the significant impact of pregnancy on sleep patterns.
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