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Changes in sleep and sleep electroencephalogram during pregnancy
D P Brunner1, M Münch, K Biedermann
1Institute of Pharmacology, University of Zürich, Switzerland.
Sleep
|October 1, 1994
Summary
Pregnancy significantly alters sleep patterns, with increased waking and reduced rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis reveals progressive decreases in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep power density throughout gestation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Medicine
- Obstetrics
Background:
- Sleep quality impairment is a frequent concern during pregnancy.
- Hormonal shifts during pregnancy are known to influence physiological processes, including sleep.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate longitudinal changes in sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns during pregnancy.
- To correlate EEG findings with different stages of gestation.
Main Methods:
- Sleep EEG was recorded in nine healthy pregnant women over two consecutive nights per trimester (TR1, TR2, TR3).
- Analysis included sleep scoring, waking after sleep onset, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep duration, and spectral analysis of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.
Main Results:
- Waking after sleep onset increased from TR2 to TR3.
- REM sleep decreased from TR1 to TR2.
- NREM sleep showed a progressive reduction in power density across pregnancy, notably in specific frequency bands (e.g., 1.25-12.0 Hz and 13.25-16.0 Hz in TR3).
- REM sleep spectral density was largely unaffected, with minor reductions below 12 Hz only in TR3.
Conclusions:
- Pregnancy is associated with significant, quantifiable alterations in sleep EEG.
- These EEG changes, particularly in NREM sleep, are not always apparent from standard sleep scoring.
- The observed sleep alterations may be linked to the hormonal milieu of pregnancy.