Sleep-disordered breathing in pregnancy

• Published in: Clinics in chest medicine Vol. 32; no. 1; p. 175
• Main Authors: Bourjeily, Ghada, Ankner, Gina, Mohsenin, Vahid
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2011
• Subjects: Diabetes, Gestational - epidemiology; Female; Humans; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced - epidemiology; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced - physiopathology; Polysomnography; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - diagnosis; Pregnancy Complications - epidemiology; Pregnancy Complications - physiopathology; Pregnancy Complications - therapy; Pregnancy Outcome; Risk Factors; Sleep Apnea Syndromes - diagnosis; Sleep Apnea Syndromes - epidemiology; Sleep Apnea Syndromes - physiopathology; Sleep Apnea Syndromes - therapy; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - diagnosis; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - therapy
• ISSN: 1557-8216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2010.11.003

Symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing are more common in pregnant women compared with nonpregnant women. It is likely that physiology of pregnancy predisposes to the development or worsening of sleep-disordered breathing, but some physiologic changes may also be protective against the development of this disease. Clinical presentation may be less predictive of sleep disordered breathing in pregnancy than in the non-pregnant population; nonetheless, snoring is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Treatment strategies are similar to the nonpregnant population, however, pregnancy-specific scenarios may arise and these subtleties are addressed in this review.