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Sleep disturbances in pregnancy.
Francesca L Facco1, Jamie Kramer, Kim H Ho
1From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York.
Obstetrics and Gynecology
|December 23, 2009
Summary
Sleep disturbances like insomnia and restless leg syndrome are common in healthy pregnant women. These sleep issues significantly worsen as pregnancy progresses, impacting overall sleep quality.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Sleep Medicine
- Maternal Health
Background:
- Sleep disturbances are a common complaint during pregnancy.
- Understanding these changes is crucial for maternal well-being.
- Healthy nulliparous women represent a key demographic for studying pregnancy-related sleep changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence and patterns of sleep disturbances in healthy nulliparous women.
- To assess how sleep characteristics change from early to late pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 189 healthy nulliparous women.
- Sleep surveys conducted at enrollment (6-20 weeks gestation) and third trimester.
- Utilized validated questionnaires including the Berlin Questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.
Main Results:
- Significant decrease in mean sleep duration (7.4 to 7.0 hours).
- Increased prevalence of frequent snoring (11% to 16.4%) and restless leg syndrome (17.5% to 31.2%).
- Higher incidence of poor sleep quality (39.0% to 53.5%) in the third trimester.
Conclusions:
- Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in healthy nulliparous women.
- Sleep quality and duration significantly decline as pregnancy advances.
- These findings highlight the need for monitoring and managing sleep issues during pregnancy.
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