ABSTRACT
Pregnancy causes changes in the duration and quality of sleep. Insomnia, insufficient sleep time, and symptoms associated with restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease (RLS/WED) are frequently described during pregnancy. We aimed to evaluate the deterioration in sleep quality during pregnancy according to trimesters and to examine the effect of RLS/WEH and its correlation with clinical and biochemical markers.
Hundred pregnant women were included in the study prospectively and consecutively. Pregnant women were evaluated to determine their clinical characteristics, including demographic data, habits, and medical backgrounds by using a questionnaire. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), disease duration, severity, triggering factors, and family history for RLS/WEH were recorded. Complete blood count, fasting blood glucose, kidney function tests, ferritin, iron and iron binding capacity were also analyzed.
The mean age was 28.8±6.0 years. PSQI values were significantly higher in the third trimester (p=0.044), and ESS values were similar between trimesters (p=0.524). RLS/WEH was detected in 34% of the pregnant women; there was no difference between trimesters (p=0.188). The PSQI score was significantly higher in RLS/WEH patients (p=0.013). There was no significant difference in clinical and biochemical parameters between pregnant women with and without subjective poor sleep quality at night (PSQI >5 points).
It is shown that night sleep quality is deteriorated in pregnant women, especially in the last trimester. The fact that the frequency of RLS/WEH is not different in pregnant women with poor sleep quality suggests the existence of other factors underlying poor sleep quality.
Keywords: Pregnancy, sleep quality, restless leg disease