Prenatal Risk Factors for Brief Resolved Unexplained Events in Infants

Prenatal factors have been implicated in the likelihood of reporting sleep disorders in infants. The influence of prenatal and pregnancy-related factors on the incidence of brief resolved unexplained events (BRUEs) in infants has not been established.

This study aims to evaluate the prenatal and pregnancy-related factors that may contribute to the development of BRUEs in infants.

A single-center, observational, and cross-sectional cohort study was conducted on mothers of children presenting to the Pediatric Clinic of the University of Insubria's Center for the Study of Respiratory Sleep Disorders with BRUEs as infants. The mothers of typically developing children were enrolled as a control group consecutively at their respective outpatient clinics. All mothers were administered comprehensive questionnaires including demographics, past medical histories, and pregnancy-related issues (weight gain, Berlin sleep-disordered breathing score, and insomnia severity index), psychological symptoms, medical history, illnesses, and medications.

Infants with BRUEs were delivered at an earlier gestational age. Mothers of infants with BRUEs were more likely to snore during pregnancy and have lower extremity edema during the first trimester, uterine contractions and restless legs syndrome symptoms during the second trimester, and muscle aches and aspirin usage during the third trimester. The insomnia severity index composite score was not different between the control and BRUE groups. Mothers of infants with BRUEs were less likely to report leg cramps, pregnancy-related diarrhea, fatigue, and gastroesophageal reflux.

Mothers of infants presenting with BRUEs had more symptoms during pregnancy of snoring and uterine contractions but not insomnia and were less likely to report leg cramps, pregnancy-related diarrhea, fatigue, and gastroesophageal reflux. The reporting of this study conforms with the STROBE statement.