Maternal SDB linked to increased risk of adverse outcomes
Symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) are increased in pregnancy compared to those without SDB. Maternal SDB may be linked with adverse pregnancy outcomes, , but this is still under investigation.
Dr. Sushmita Pamidi, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine of McGill University, Hamilton, Canada, along with colleagues conducted a a systematic literature review and meta=analysis of studies to examine whether women with SDB in pregnancy have a higher risk of specific adverse pregnancy outcomes compared with women without SDB.
Researchers searched studies published in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, that were published until June 2012, that evaluated the association between gestational hypertension/preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, low birth weight infants, and maternal SDB, defined either by symptoms or the reference standard polysomnography,
The researchers identified 4,386 studies in which 31 had met the criteria. Among these studies, 21 all observational in design, reported dichotomous outcomes; 9 of these adjusted for potential confounders.
Maternal SDB was significantly associated with gestational hypertension/preeclampsia (pooled adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.60–3.09; 5 studies), and gestational diabetes (pooled aOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.30–2.42; 5 studies).
The researchers write in their conclusion “Based on published observational studies to date, maternal SDB is associated with an increased risk of gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes after adjusting for potential confounders. However, large-scale, prospective cohort, and interventional studies are needed to further elucidate the relationship between maternal SDB and adverse pregnancy outcomes.”
This study is published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.