Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where there are pauses in breathing. Instead of breathing in and out normally, a woman with sleep apnea will stop breathing for a brief period and then start back up spontaneously. These pauses can happen many times in a night.
Women who are afflicted with sleep apnea in pregnancy develop symptoms that are similar to the condition when it occurs in other contexts. These symptoms include:
- Snoring
- Breathing pauses or shortness of breath in sleep
- Waking with choking, snorting, or gasping
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Frequent urination at night (nocturia)
It is important to treat pregnancy-related sleep apnea, as it can contribute to adverse consequences in both the mother and fetus. Sleep apnea is associated with gestational hypertension, diabetes, and unplanned Caesarian sections. It may also lead to fetal growth restriction and prolonged labor. Severely affected women may develop obesity hypoventilation syndrome.
About video: Just when you need a good night's sleep the most, it may be impossible to get. Dr. Keith Eddleman, author of Pregnancy for Dummies, explains how to deal with sleeplessness during pregnancy.
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