Maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with restless legs syndrome in pregnancy: A systematic review

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) affects one in five pregnant women. This review aims to synthesise evidence regarding gestational RLS and its consequences on pregnant women and neonates. Search of Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Maternity and Infant Care and Scopus was conducted in July 2018 using MeSH headings and keywords for 'restless legs syndrome' and 'pregnancy' or 'birth'. Our search identified 16 eligible studies from 12 countries published between 2004 and 2018 concerning gestational RLS and one or more maternal, delivery or neonatal outcomes. The most consistent associations were observed between gestational RLS and increased risks of gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and peripartum depression. There were mixed findings for caesarean delivery, preterm birth and low birth weight, with the majority reporting no association with gestational RLS. Gestational RLS was not associated with postpartum haemorrhage, gestational diabetes, fetal distress, or low Apgar scores. Future research is needed to investigate whether effective treatment of RLS can mitigate these potential harms. Validated methods for diagnosing RLS in pregnancy would support research in this growing field.