Psychiatry Research EG

Introduction Sleep problems during pregnancy are common. Most pregnant females suffer from impaired sleep quality and frequent awakening during night, particularly when approaching labor. Recent studies have mentioned that 80–97% of females in the third trimester of pregnancy reported waking up at night, and 60–85% had problems with sleep quality during pregnancy. The role of sleep in pregnancy is not fully understood, especially whether there are medical complications accompanying pregnancy, increasing the risk of health hazards of the pregnant mothers. Aim The aim of the present study was to examine sleep practices and sleep quality during high-risk pregnancy. Materials and methods Fifty-nine women with high-risk pregnancy were approached to participate in this study. All of them were admitted at the Antenatal Care Unit at Mansoura University Hospital. We collected information on demographic data, quality of sleep, night-time waking, and snoring. In addition, assessment of their medical conditions was reported. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Insomnia Severity Index were used as screening tools. Results The mean age of the 59 pregnant women was 28.9± 6.7 years, the mean gestational age was 30.26± 7.02 weeks, and the mean of pre-pregnancy sleeping time was 7.8 ±2.16 h. The mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score was (7.12 ± 3), and the mean Epworth Sleepiness Scale score was (8.68 ±4.79). Insomnia was a common complaint (59%). Respondents with high-risk pregnancy due to hypertension tended to have excessive daytime sleepiness, poorer sleep quality, and sleep problems before their pregnancy. Conclusion Sleep problems are common during high-risk pregnancy; screening for these problems during antenatal care visits should be a routine clinical practice.