Poor sleep quality during pregnancy is a common complaint as your body changes over time.
Both physical and emotional health changes, including the stress of being pregnant, can disrupt sleep.
Studies demonstrate that nearly half of pregnant persons experience poor sleep quality.
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For many pregnant people, the lack of sleep may seem a temporary inconvenience.
However, unhealthy sleep patterns, likesleep apnea, can contribute to complications with pregnancy.
The quality of your sleep can also affect the developing fetus.
This article discusses how sleep disturbances during pregnancy may be linked to certain health consequences.
It offers information about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment you may wish to discuss with your healthcare provider.
As your body changes, so does your mental and physical preparation for the future.
The following are common causes of lack of sleep during pregnancy.
General Discomfort
Common discomforts during pregnancy can negatively affect sleep quality and quantity.
They can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Snoringandobstructive sleep apneaoften develop or worsen during pregnancy, especially during the second and third trimesters.
People who gain too much weight or who have alarge neck circumferencemay be at additional risk.
These factors contribute to the collapse of the airway and to difficulty breathing during sleep.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The developing fetus needs a reliable supply of nutrients, including oxygen.
This may reduce the blood volume pumped by the heart, a reduction in cardiac output.
As a result, blood flow to the fetus via the placenta can be compromised.
It is well-understood that even minor declines in the oxygen levels of the mother may endanger the fetus.
When the mothers blood oxygen falls, the fetus reacts with decelerations of the heart rhythm and acidosis.
Other factors that may lead to FGR include stress, nutrition, or even high-altitude effects on available oxygen.
Maternal sleep quality and position have been linked to FGR.
Additional health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, asthma, andsmoking, will make these difficulties worse.
There may be a higher perception of pain in those who sleep less.
Sleep deprivation may also interfere with the normal progression of labor.
It can be helpful to review your sleep habits and factors that may contribute to sleep loss.
Speak to your healthcare provider about concerning symptoms as soon as possible.
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