Prevalence and predictors of sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality and their associated perinatal outcomes during the third trimester of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES

Maternal sleep deprivation not only affects the pregnant mother but also has profound effects on the well-being of the foetus. This study aims to assess the prevalence and predictors of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and poor sleep quality (PSQ).

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study conducted among in-patient post-natal women of a tertiary care teaching hospital. A pretested semi-structured standardised questionnaire was administered. EDS was assessed using the Epworth sleepiness scale and PSQ was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

RESULTS

A total of 225 participants were enrolled. The prevalence of EDS was 29.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 23.5, 35.8) and the prevalence of PSQ was 72.9% (95% CI = 66.6, 78.6). The factors (adjusted odds ratio; 95% CI; p-value) that were significantly associated with EDS were age (1.082; 1.019, 3.102; 0.042), being overweight (1.248; 1.012, 3.834; 0.041), low haemoglobin (1.246; 1.007, 4.572; 0.043), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (1.267; 1.001, 7.239; 0.049). On the other hand, the factors associated with PSQ were young age (1.092; 1.035, 3.763; 0.028), being overweight (1.602; 1.029, 2.995; 0.035), low haemoglobin (1.328; 1.004, 4.963; 0.047), and GDM (1.659; 1.284, 4.112; 0.016). No significant associations were found between perinatal outcomes and EDS or PSQ. Additionally, poor sleep practices were observed in our study participants.

CONCLUSION

In this study, EDS and PSQ were significantly prevalent among participants, and their major predictors were age, haemoglobin, being overweight, and GDM.