Contact: Tom Durso, Director of Media Relations, 610.660.1532, [email protected]
EMBARGOED UNTIL NOV. 10, 2000
MAJORITY OF PREGNANT WOMEN EXPERIENCE SLEEP PROBLEMS, ACCORDING TO NEW STUDY
Philadelphia, Pa. (Nov. 10, 2000) -- Ninety-seven percent of pregnant women fail to sleep through the night by the end of their pregnancy, according to a new study by researchers at Saint Joseph's University and Delaware County (Pa.) Memorial Hospital.
The study, in the November/December issue of the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, is one of the first to examine sleep issues throughout pregnancy, rather than just at the end of pregnancy.
Dr. Jodi A. Mindell, associate professor of psychology at Saint Joseph's, and Dr. Barry J. Jacobson, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Delaware County Memorial, surveyed 127 women, ranging from eight to 38 weeks pregnant, and found a surprising number of them experienced significant sleep problems.
By the end of their pregnancy, for example, 97 percent of the participants were waking during the night, and nearly 92 percent slept restlessly. Nearly half snored, and a significant portion experienced other symptoms consistent with obstructive sleep apnea, such as choking awakenings and excessive daytime sleepiness.
"So many women are told that this is their bodies' way of preparing them for life with a baby, filled with sleepless nights," said Dr. Mindell. "That's just not true. It's important for pregnant women and their health-care providers to realize that many of their issues are significant sleep problems that shouldn't be ignored. Oftentimes these are disorders that can be diagnosed and treated."
Indeed, she added, pregnant women with sleep problems should be encouraged to consult with a sleep specialist.
"Although the majority of the women reported specific sleep complaints, few admitted to having a sleep disorder," the study notes. "For example, at the end of pregnancy only 36 percent of women claimed that they had a sleep problem, yet 92 percent were restless sleepers. This discrepancy may be attributed to a belief that sleep disturbances are an expected part of pregnancy and do not constitute a separate problem or may be part of a more global issue of how individuals define sleep problems."
Dr. Mindell and Dr. Jacobson's study concludes with a call for providers of health care for pregnant women to be better educated on sleep issues so that they can recognize the symptoms when they occur. "As health-care professionals begin to educate patients about potential sleep problems and assess sleep disturbances, problems may be alleviated for pregnant women," they write.
Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1851, Saint Joseph's University is celebrating 150 years of academic excellence. Saint Joseph's, Philadelphia's Jesuit university, is home to 3,450 full-time undergraduates and 2,900 graduate and nontraditional students. The school's strong liberal arts tradition fosters rigorous and open-minded inquiry, maintains high academic standards, and attends to the development of the whole person.
NOTE: Dr. Mindell can be reached directly at 610.660.1806, [email protected].
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