64% of women suffer from insomnia during their pregnancy

tommyandone/Epictura

Published the 31.01.2018 at 10: 45 am

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A study recently conducted by the University of Granada, Spain and published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, reveals that 64% of pregnant women suffer from insomnia during the third trimester of pregnancy. Or ten times more than those suffering from insomnia before pregnancy (6%).

To achieve this result, the researchers followed 486 pregnant women in good health, originating from Granada, Jaen, Huelva and Seville, their 14th week (first trimester) to birth. Their sleep has been studied : the awakenings, night-time and their duration, and the time required to fall asleep.

Insomnia, a risk factor for several diseases

According to them, 44% of pregnant women suffer from insomnia during the first trimester of their pregnancy, and 46% in the second quarter and 64% in the third. “We know that sleep problems are pre-existing worsen and that new problems arise frequently during the pregnancy, then we assume that the difficulties related to sleep onset and maintaining sleep are characteristics of the pregnancy and that they should be treated,” says Dr. María del Carmen Amezcua Prieto, one of the scientists at the origin of the study and a lecturer in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the University of Granada.

According to her, the health system gives little importance to sleep disorders during the follow-up of pregnancy. The World Health Organization (WHO) does it-not even the issue in its guidelines relating to the health care of pregnant women. Yet, insomnia is at the root of many health problems and affects the quality of life of future mothers. In particular, it may be a risk factor for hypertension and pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, depression, premature birth and caesarean section unplanned.

Where are these sleep disorders ?

According to the Dr. Marie-Françoise Vecchierini, a sleep specialist at the Hospital Dieu in Paris, “the weight of the abdomen may be the cause of a gastro-esophageal reflux that causes of acid reflux”. In an interview granted to MagicMaman, she explains that “expectant mothers can experience problems breathing, have a sore back or sore legs (restless legs syndrome), experiencing cramps, or joint pain – related syndrome, carpal tunnel…”, which can disturb their sleep.