Abstract
Background
Despite high prevalence and clinical implications of disturbed sleep during pregnancy,
information on changes in sleep across pregnancy and postpartum is incomplete. Moreover,
predictors of differential patterns of sleep quality across the perinatal period are
poorly defined.
Methods
This study examined subjective sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
during each trimester of pregnancy and at 4-11 weeks postpartum among 133 women inclusive
of nulliparous and multiparous African Americans and Whites.
Results
At any given assessment, 53%-71% of women reported poor overall sleep quality (Pittsburgh
Sleep Quality Index total score > 5). Moreover, 92% reported poor overall sleep quality
during at least 1 assessment, including 88% at some time during gestation. Compared
to nulliparous women, multiparous women reported poorer overall sleep quality, shorter
sleep duration, and poorer sleep efficiency during the first trimester; poorer overall
sleep quality and longer sleep latency in the second trimester; and more frequent
sleep disturbances (eg, night time and early morning awakenings) during the third
trimester. Among nulliparous as well as multiparous women, specific aspects of sleep
(eg, subjective sleep quality, sleep disturbances, sleep efficiency) were poorer in
African American compared to White women at different time points during pregnancy.
No effects of race or parity were observed on sleep parameters at postpartum.
Conclusions
Poor sleep quality during pregnancy as well as early postpartum is highly prevalent
among both African American and White women. Both multiparous status and African American
race are associated with more disturbed sleep at some time points during pregnancy.
These individual differences should be considered in future research and clinical
efforts to promote perinatal sleep health.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 20, 2019
Accepted:
March 19,
2019
Received in revised form:
February 7,
2019
Received:
October 18,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
