Maternal sleep duration and complaints of vital exhaustion during pregnancy is associated with placental abruption

Abstract

Objective: Sleep disorders are associated with cardiovascular complications and preterm delivery (PTD). Insufficient sleep results in metabolic alterations and increased inflammation, both known to contribute to placental abruption (abruption), a determinant of PTD. We examined associations of abruption with sleep duration and complaints of vital exhaustion.

Methods: The study included 164 abruption cases and 160 controls in a multicenter study in Peru. Data on habitual sleep duration and vital exhaustion during the first 6 months of pregnancy were elicited during interviews conducted following delivery. Women were categorized according to short, normal and long sleep duration (≤6, 7–8 and ≥9 h); and frequency of feeling exhausted. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

Results: Short and long sleep durations were associated with increased odds of abruption. The ORs of abruption in relation to short (≤6 h) and long (≥9 h) sleep duration were 2.0 (95% CI 1.1–3.7) and 2.1 (95% CI 1.1–4.1), compared with normal sleep duration (7–8 h). Complaints of vital exhaustion were also associated with abruption (OR = 2.37; 95% CI 1.46–3.85), and were independent of sleep duration.

Conclusion: We extend the existing literature and support the thesis that maternal sleep habits and disorders should be assessed among pregnant women.

• Exhaustion
• placental abruption
• pregnancy
• sleep duration

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the staff of the Hospital Nacional dos de Mayo, Instituto Especializado Materno Perinatal, Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins, Hospital Nacional Hipolito Unanue, and Hospital Nacional Docente Madre Niño San Bartolomè, Lima, Peru, for their technical assistance with this research. The authors also wish to thank the dedicated staff members of Asociacion Civil Proyectos en Salud (PROESA), Peru.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no competing interests to declare. This research was supported by awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (T37-MD001449), and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01-HD-059835; R01-HD-059827). The NIH had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.