Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCauses of Lack of SleepComplicationsInterventions
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Table of Contents
Causes of Lack of Sleep
Complications
Interventions
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.
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.
JGI / Jamie Grill / Getty Images
Pregnancy is a time of great changes in your diet, fitness plans, and sleep patterns. 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.
They may include pregnancy symptoms like:
Breathing Problems
Due to hormonal changes, weight gain, and increased blood flow during pregnancy, you may experience breathing difficulties during sleep.
Snoringandobstructive sleep apneaoften develop or worsen during pregnancy, especially during the second and third trimesters. Obstructive sleep apnea, a chronic sleep condition where a person’s breathing slows or stops during sleep, affects anywhere from 8% to 32% of pregnant people, with obesity and age influencing the risk of developing the condition.
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.
Symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing may include:
Complications Relating to Lack of Sleep
Poor sleep, and problems breathing while sleeping, can adversely affect your health and the health of your developing fetus.
Excessive Weight Gain
Studies suggest that poor sleep quality may be associated with excessive gestational weight gain during pregnancy.Gaining more than the recommended amount of weight is linked to:
Gestational Diabetes
One 2017 meta-analysis published inSleep Medicine Reviewsfound that short sleep duration in pregnancy (less than six-and-a-quarter hours per night) may be associated with hyperglycemia and an increased risk ofgestational diabetes.
Gestational diabetes occurs when a pregnant person can’t create enoughinsulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar (glucose).
Having gestational diabetes can increase your risk of:
High Blood Pressure
Research shows that sleep disorders, particularly ones that affect breathing, are strongly associated with the development of gestational hypertension (high blood pressure during pregnancy) andpreeclampsia.
High blood pressure in pregnancyis present when blood pressure is measured to be greater than 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) on repeated occasions after 20 weeks of gestation in people without prior hypertension.
Studies have shown people with preeclampsia have poor sleep quality with an increase in slow-wave sleep and a decrease in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.In addition, they take naps more frequently.
Preeclampsia is associated with potential organ injury in the pregnant person and increases the risk of death for both the pregnant person and child.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The developing fetus needs a reliable supply of nutrients, including oxygen. When breathing is disrupted during sleep, blood flow to the placenta is compromised, leading to potentially significant consequences.
It is well-understood that even minor declines in the oxygen levels of the mother may endanger the fetus. When the mother’s blood oxygen falls, the fetus reacts with decelerations of the heart rhythm and acidosis.
Fetal Growth Restriction and OxygenFetal growth restriction (FGR) is a condition associated with serious consequences for a developing fetus, including stillbirth and preterm birth. Lack of oxygen is a contributing factor, associated with a poorly developed (insufficient) placenta and maternal health conditions like preeclampsia. 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.
Fetal Growth Restriction and Oxygen
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a condition associated with serious consequences for a developing fetus, including stillbirth and preterm birth. Lack of oxygen is a contributing factor, associated with a poorly developed (insufficient) placenta and maternal health conditions like preeclampsia. 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.
For pregnant persons with OSA,continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)can improve blood pressure and oxygenation in the fetus. This may allow the pregnancy to progress under improved conditions, leading to normal birth weight and improving outcomes for the infant at delivery.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Delivery and Post Delivery Complications
Some studies of people experiencing sleep quality disruptions in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy find higher rates ofcesarean sectiondelivery in pregnant people who report insomnia.
Other complications may include:
What Is Placental Insufficiency?
Role of Interventions
Clearly, snoring and sleep apnea will increase the risk of problems during pregnancy. Additional health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, asthma, andsmoking, will make these difficulties worse.
As a result, there is an increased risk of premature delivery, growth restriction, and potential for health problems in, or death of, the newborn infant.
There may be a higher perception of pain in those who sleep less. Sleep deprivation may also interfere with the normal progression of labor.
Inadequate quality or quantity of sleep may affect a pregnant person’s daytime function and mood, with possible impacts including:
For many people, these issues may persist into the first few weeks after delivery, especially because the child’s nighttime feedings may continue sleep fragmentation.
Almost all people, especially those who are overweight or obese, have sleep problems at some point during pregnancy.Most of the stress is related to uncertainty about whether the problems are normal or not.
When to See a Healthcare ProviderIf you are concerned about whether your sleep difficulties may affect your developing child, speak with your healthcare provider. It can be helpful to review your sleep habits and factors that may contribute to sleep loss.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If you are concerned about whether your sleep difficulties may affect your developing child, speak with your healthcare provider. It can be helpful to review your sleep habits and factors that may contribute to sleep loss.
Summary
Poor sleep quality is common during pregnancy, especially as you advance into the third and second trimester. While easily overlooked, the lack of sleep has impacts on a pregnant person’s health as well as that of a developing fetus.
There are ways to improve your sleep habits, such as limiting screen time before bed orpracticing mindfulnessto reduce stress. However, poor sleep quality in pregnant people can contribute to serious health conditions, like preeclampsia, that require medical attention. Speak to your healthcare provider about concerning symptoms as soon as possible.
20 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sedov ID, Cameron EE, Madigan S, Tomfohr-Madsen LM.Sleep quality during pregnancy: A meta-analysis.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;38:168-176. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.06.005Johns Hopkins Medicine.Get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy.Antony KM, Jacobson NM, Rice L, Wiedmer AM, Mourey H, Bazalakova MH.Obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy: early lessons from our sleep pregnancy clinic.WMJ. 2021;120(1):34-40.Dominguez JE, Krystal AD, Habib AS.Obstructive sleep apnea in pregnant women: a review of pregnancy outcomes and an approach to management.Anesthesia & Analgesia. 2018;127(5):1167-1177. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000003335American Thoracic Society.Sleep disordered breathing.Al-Musharaf S.Changes in sleep patterns during pregnancy and predictive factors: a longitudinal study in saudi women.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2633. doi:10.3390/nu14132633Lyu J, Zhu Q, Tong S, Su X, Li S, Hua J.Trajectories of sleep quality and associations with excessive gestational weight gain during pregnancy.Sleep Biol Rhythms. 2020;18(3):249-257. doi:10.1007/s41105-020-00266-wCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Weight gain during pregnancy.Reutrakul S, Anothaisintawee T, Herring SJ, Balserak BI, Marc I, Thakkinstian A.Short sleep duration and hyperglycemia in pregnancy: Aggregate and individual patient data meta-analysis.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;40:31-42. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.09.003American Diabetes Association.Gestational diabetes.Querejeta Roca G, Anyaso J, Redline S, Bello NA.Associations between sleep disorders and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and materno-fetal consequences.Curr Hypertens Rep. 2020;22(8):53. doi:10.1007/s11906-020-01066-wHaney A, Buysse DJ, Okun M.Sleep and pregnancy-induced hypertension: a possible target for intervention?J Clin Sleep Med. 2013;9(12):1349–1356. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3290MedlinePlus.Preeclampsia - self-care.Gupta M, Suri JC, Arora R, Adhikari T.Effect of snoring on pregnancy-induced hypertension and feto-maternal outcomes.Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine. 2015;10(4):159-164. doi:10.5958/0974-0155.2015.00022.4MedlinePlus.Preeclampsia.Facco FL, Parker CB, Reddy UM, et al.Association between sleep-disordered breathing and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus.Obstet Gynecol. 2017;129(1):31–41. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000001805King VJ, Bennet L, Stone PR, Clark A, Gunn AJ, Dhillon SK.Fetal growth restriction and stillbirth: Biomarkers for identifying at risk fetuses.Front Physiol. 2022;13:959750. doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.959750Hashmi AM, Bhatia SK, Bhatia SK, Khawaja IS.Insomnia during pregnancy: Diagnosis and rational interventions.Pak J Med Sci Q. 2016;32(4):1030-1037. doi:10.12669/pjms.324.10421Won CH.Sleeping for two: The great paradox of sleep in pregnancy.J Clin Sleep Med. 2015;11(6):593–594. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4760Medic G, Wille M, Hemels ME.Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption.Nat Sci Sleep. 2017;9:151-161. doi:10.2147/NSS.S134864
20 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sedov ID, Cameron EE, Madigan S, Tomfohr-Madsen LM.Sleep quality during pregnancy: A meta-analysis.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;38:168-176. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.06.005Johns Hopkins Medicine.Get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy.Antony KM, Jacobson NM, Rice L, Wiedmer AM, Mourey H, Bazalakova MH.Obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy: early lessons from our sleep pregnancy clinic.WMJ. 2021;120(1):34-40.Dominguez JE, Krystal AD, Habib AS.Obstructive sleep apnea in pregnant women: a review of pregnancy outcomes and an approach to management.Anesthesia & Analgesia. 2018;127(5):1167-1177. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000003335American Thoracic Society.Sleep disordered breathing.Al-Musharaf S.Changes in sleep patterns during pregnancy and predictive factors: a longitudinal study in saudi women.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2633. doi:10.3390/nu14132633Lyu J, Zhu Q, Tong S, Su X, Li S, Hua J.Trajectories of sleep quality and associations with excessive gestational weight gain during pregnancy.Sleep Biol Rhythms. 2020;18(3):249-257. doi:10.1007/s41105-020-00266-wCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Weight gain during pregnancy.Reutrakul S, Anothaisintawee T, Herring SJ, Balserak BI, Marc I, Thakkinstian A.Short sleep duration and hyperglycemia in pregnancy: Aggregate and individual patient data meta-analysis.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;40:31-42. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.09.003American Diabetes Association.Gestational diabetes.Querejeta Roca G, Anyaso J, Redline S, Bello NA.Associations between sleep disorders and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and materno-fetal consequences.Curr Hypertens Rep. 2020;22(8):53. doi:10.1007/s11906-020-01066-wHaney A, Buysse DJ, Okun M.Sleep and pregnancy-induced hypertension: a possible target for intervention?J Clin Sleep Med. 2013;9(12):1349–1356. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3290MedlinePlus.Preeclampsia - self-care.Gupta M, Suri JC, Arora R, Adhikari T.Effect of snoring on pregnancy-induced hypertension and feto-maternal outcomes.Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine. 2015;10(4):159-164. doi:10.5958/0974-0155.2015.00022.4MedlinePlus.Preeclampsia.Facco FL, Parker CB, Reddy UM, et al.Association between sleep-disordered breathing and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus.Obstet Gynecol. 2017;129(1):31–41. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000001805King VJ, Bennet L, Stone PR, Clark A, Gunn AJ, Dhillon SK.Fetal growth restriction and stillbirth: Biomarkers for identifying at risk fetuses.Front Physiol. 2022;13:959750. doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.959750Hashmi AM, Bhatia SK, Bhatia SK, Khawaja IS.Insomnia during pregnancy: Diagnosis and rational interventions.Pak J Med Sci Q. 2016;32(4):1030-1037. doi:10.12669/pjms.324.10421Won CH.Sleeping for two: The great paradox of sleep in pregnancy.J Clin Sleep Med. 2015;11(6):593–594. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4760Medic G, Wille M, Hemels ME.Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption.Nat Sci Sleep. 2017;9:151-161. doi:10.2147/NSS.S134864
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Sedov ID, Cameron EE, Madigan S, Tomfohr-Madsen LM.Sleep quality during pregnancy: A meta-analysis.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;38:168-176. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.06.005Johns Hopkins Medicine.Get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy.Antony KM, Jacobson NM, Rice L, Wiedmer AM, Mourey H, Bazalakova MH.Obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy: early lessons from our sleep pregnancy clinic.WMJ. 2021;120(1):34-40.Dominguez JE, Krystal AD, Habib AS.Obstructive sleep apnea in pregnant women: a review of pregnancy outcomes and an approach to management.Anesthesia & Analgesia. 2018;127(5):1167-1177. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000003335American Thoracic Society.Sleep disordered breathing.Al-Musharaf S.Changes in sleep patterns during pregnancy and predictive factors: a longitudinal study in saudi women.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2633. doi:10.3390/nu14132633Lyu J, Zhu Q, Tong S, Su X, Li S, Hua J.Trajectories of sleep quality and associations with excessive gestational weight gain during pregnancy.Sleep Biol Rhythms. 2020;18(3):249-257. doi:10.1007/s41105-020-00266-wCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Weight gain during pregnancy.Reutrakul S, Anothaisintawee T, Herring SJ, Balserak BI, Marc I, Thakkinstian A.Short sleep duration and hyperglycemia in pregnancy: Aggregate and individual patient data meta-analysis.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;40:31-42. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.09.003American Diabetes Association.Gestational diabetes.Querejeta Roca G, Anyaso J, Redline S, Bello NA.Associations between sleep disorders and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and materno-fetal consequences.Curr Hypertens Rep. 2020;22(8):53. doi:10.1007/s11906-020-01066-wHaney A, Buysse DJ, Okun M.Sleep and pregnancy-induced hypertension: a possible target for intervention?J Clin Sleep Med. 2013;9(12):1349–1356. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3290MedlinePlus.Preeclampsia - self-care.Gupta M, Suri JC, Arora R, Adhikari T.Effect of snoring on pregnancy-induced hypertension and feto-maternal outcomes.Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine. 2015;10(4):159-164. doi:10.5958/0974-0155.2015.00022.4MedlinePlus.Preeclampsia.Facco FL, Parker CB, Reddy UM, et al.Association between sleep-disordered breathing and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus.Obstet Gynecol. 2017;129(1):31–41. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000001805King VJ, Bennet L, Stone PR, Clark A, Gunn AJ, Dhillon SK.Fetal growth restriction and stillbirth: Biomarkers for identifying at risk fetuses.Front Physiol. 2022;13:959750. doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.959750Hashmi AM, Bhatia SK, Bhatia SK, Khawaja IS.Insomnia during pregnancy: Diagnosis and rational interventions.Pak J Med Sci Q. 2016;32(4):1030-1037. doi:10.12669/pjms.324.10421Won CH.Sleeping for two: The great paradox of sleep in pregnancy.J Clin Sleep Med. 2015;11(6):593–594. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4760Medic G, Wille M, Hemels ME.Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption.Nat Sci Sleep. 2017;9:151-161. doi:10.2147/NSS.S134864
Sedov ID, Cameron EE, Madigan S, Tomfohr-Madsen LM.Sleep quality during pregnancy: A meta-analysis.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;38:168-176. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.06.005
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy.
Antony KM, Jacobson NM, Rice L, Wiedmer AM, Mourey H, Bazalakova MH.Obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy: early lessons from our sleep pregnancy clinic.WMJ. 2021;120(1):34-40.
Dominguez JE, Krystal AD, Habib AS.Obstructive sleep apnea in pregnant women: a review of pregnancy outcomes and an approach to management.Anesthesia & Analgesia. 2018;127(5):1167-1177. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000003335
American Thoracic Society.Sleep disordered breathing.
Al-Musharaf S.Changes in sleep patterns during pregnancy and predictive factors: a longitudinal study in saudi women.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2633. doi:10.3390/nu14132633
Lyu J, Zhu Q, Tong S, Su X, Li S, Hua J.Trajectories of sleep quality and associations with excessive gestational weight gain during pregnancy.Sleep Biol Rhythms. 2020;18(3):249-257. doi:10.1007/s41105-020-00266-w
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Weight gain during pregnancy.
Reutrakul S, Anothaisintawee T, Herring SJ, Balserak BI, Marc I, Thakkinstian A.Short sleep duration and hyperglycemia in pregnancy: Aggregate and individual patient data meta-analysis.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;40:31-42. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.09.003
American Diabetes Association.Gestational diabetes.
Querejeta Roca G, Anyaso J, Redline S, Bello NA.Associations between sleep disorders and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and materno-fetal consequences.Curr Hypertens Rep. 2020;22(8):53. doi:10.1007/s11906-020-01066-w
Haney A, Buysse DJ, Okun M.Sleep and pregnancy-induced hypertension: a possible target for intervention?J Clin Sleep Med. 2013;9(12):1349–1356. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3290
MedlinePlus.Preeclampsia - self-care.
Gupta M, Suri JC, Arora R, Adhikari T.Effect of snoring on pregnancy-induced hypertension and feto-maternal outcomes.Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine. 2015;10(4):159-164. doi:10.5958/0974-0155.2015.00022.4
MedlinePlus.Preeclampsia.
Facco FL, Parker CB, Reddy UM, et al.Association between sleep-disordered breathing and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus.Obstet Gynecol. 2017;129(1):31–41. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000001805
King VJ, Bennet L, Stone PR, Clark A, Gunn AJ, Dhillon SK.Fetal growth restriction and stillbirth: Biomarkers for identifying at risk fetuses.Front Physiol. 2022;13:959750. doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.959750
Hashmi AM, Bhatia SK, Bhatia SK, Khawaja IS.Insomnia during pregnancy: Diagnosis and rational interventions.Pak J Med Sci Q. 2016;32(4):1030-1037. doi:10.12669/pjms.324.10421
Won CH.Sleeping for two: The great paradox of sleep in pregnancy.J Clin Sleep Med. 2015;11(6):593–594. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4760
Medic G, Wille M, Hemels ME.Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption.Nat Sci Sleep. 2017;9:151-161. doi:10.2147/NSS.S134864
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