An Epworth Sleep Score ≥11 is associated with emergency operative birth and poor neonatal composite outcome at term

During pregnancy, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale can be used as a surrogate marker for maternal sleep-disordered breathing, a condition that is becoming increasingly prevalent in obstetric populations and is associated with a multitude of pregnancy complications.

The aim of this observational study was to investigate the relationship between the Epworth Sleepiness Scale score and indication and mode of delivery during pregnancy.

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale was completed by 178 women at Mater Mothers' Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.

Women with a score ≥11 were less likely to achieve a spontaneous vaginal delivery (aOR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.88, P = 0.02), and were more likely to have an instrumental (aOR 2.81, 95% CI 1.30-6.08, P = 0.01) or any operative birth (instrumental and caesarean section aOR 2.32, 95% CI 1.14-4.71, P = 0.02). These women were also more likely to have an operative birth for intrapartum fetal compromise (aOR 2.62, 95% CI 1.21-5.69, P = 0.015), as well as an infant with poor neonatal outcomes (aOR 2.77, 95% CI 1.09-7.03, P = 0.03).

These results show that symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing are associated with emergency operative birth, particularly when the indication for operative birth was intrapartum fetal compromise.