Maternal Sleeping Problems Before and After Childbirth - A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Sleep Medicine
• Mental Health

Background:

• The perinatal and postpartum periods involve significant physiological, social, and psychological changes impacting maternal sleep.
• Sleep disturbances and mood disorders are common concerns for women during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review sleep disturbances and mood disorders in perinatal and postpartum women.
• To investigate the relationship between sleep, mood, and breastfeeding.
• To assess interventions for sleep disturbances in this population.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-studies systematic review was conducted.
• Searched three databases (PUBMED, EMBASE, Google Scholar) for studies from 2016 to June 2023.
• Included qualitative, observational, and mixed-method studies, synthesizing findings from 29 articles.

Main Results:

• Identified four themes: perinatal sleep quality, sleep and breastfeeding link, sleep quality and emotional disturbance, and sleep interventions.
• Highlighted the subjective nature of sleep disturbance perception and lack of objective measures.
• Found connections between sleep quality and emotional well-being.

Conclusions:

• Maternal sleep quality is crucial for mental well-being during the perinatal and postpartum periods.
• Assessing maternal sleep hygiene and family sleep patterns is recommended in postpartum care.
• Integrating sleep health into routine care can improve maternal sleep and mental health outcomes.