Do pregnant women accurately report sleep time? A comparison between self-reported and objective measures of sleep duration in pregnancy among a sample of urban mothers

Sleep Hygiene and Sleep Quality of Third-Trimester Pregnant Women

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the associations of sleep hygiene and actigraphy measures of sleep with self-reported sleep quality in 197 pregnant women in northern Taiwan. Third-trimester pregnant women completed the Sleep Hygiene Practice Scale (SHPS) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) as well as the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), and wore an actigraph for 7 consecutive days. Student's t-test was used to compare the SHPS scores and means as well as variability of actigraphy sleep variables between poor sleepers (i.e., PSQI global score >5) and good sleepers (i.e., PSQI global score ≤5). Compared to good sleepers, poor sleepers reported significantly worse sleep hygiene, with higher SHPS scores and higher sleep schedule, arousal-related behavior, and sleep environment subscale scores. Poor sleepers had significantly greater intra-individual variability of sleep onset latency, total nighttime sleep, and wake after sleep onset than good sleepers. In stepwise linear regression, older maternal age (p = .01), fewer employment hours per week (p = .01), higher CES-D total score (p < .01), and higher SHPS arousal-related behavior subscale scores (p < .01) predicted self-reported global sleep quality. Findings support avoiding physically, physiologically, emotionally, or cognitively arousing activities before bedtime as a target for sleep-hygiene intervention in women during pregnancy.

Perceived sleep quality is worse than objective parameters of sleep in pregnant women with a mental disorder

OBJECTIVE

Disturbed sleep during pregnancy is associated with adverse obstetric outcomes and less mental well-being. In pregnant women with a mental disorder, who frequently suffer from sleep problems, it is unknown whether predominantly objective or subjective sleep quality is more affected. To clarify this, we compared objective and subjective parameters of sleep quality between patients and healthy controls during pregnancy.

METHODS

This observational study was embedded in an ongoing study among pregnant women with a mental disorder at the department of Psychiatry of Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands. We compared 21 pregnant women with a confirmed mental disorder with 33 healthy controls (gestational age, 23-29 weeks). To measure objective parameters of sleep quality, all participants continuously wore a wrist actigraph for 7 days and nights. Subjective sleep quality was retrospectively assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and on a daily basis with the Subjective Sleep Quality-scale (SSQ). Differences in parameters of sleep between patients and controls were tested using a multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for parity, gestational age, educational level, and employment status.

RESULTS

Objective parameters of sleep quality and subjective sleep quality as assessed by the PSQI did not differ significantly between patients and controls. Daily sleep reports showed that, relative to controls, patients had a significantly worse average SSQ-score (5.2 vs. 7.6, adjusted β = 0.12, 95%CI = 0.03-0.53, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Our exploratory study suggests that perceived sleep quality reported on a daily basis by pregnant women with a mental disorder is worse than the sleep quality as measured by wrist actigraphy.

The potential value of sleep hygiene for a healthy pregnancy: a brief review

The quality of the intrauterine environment influences maternal-fetal health and also offspring predisposition to obesity and cardiometabolic disease later in life. Several determinants, including but not limited to pregravid obesity and excessive gestational weight gain, alter the developmental milieu, fetal growth, and child obesity risk. However, the role of sleep and its relationship to healthy pregnancy is not fully established. Given the host of psychosocial and physiological complications associated with childhood obesity, targeting the gestational period is purported to be an opportune time for preventive intervention. Many longitudinal studies suggest that short sleep duration is a risk factor for the development of impaired glycemia and obesity. However, there is a dearth of information concerning the role of sleep hygiene and its role in a healthy pregnancy. Reports note disrupted and poorer quality of sleep during gestation and highlight an association between reduced sleep and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. Given the lack of well-designed human trials assessing the value of sleep and healthy pregnancy outcomes, this review summarizes current evidence which suggests that incorporating sleep recommendations and utilizing time management strategies that encourage a healthful night 's sleep may improve the health of the mom and the baby.

Objectively measured sleep duration and hyperglycemia in pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

Our primary purpose was to assess the impact of objectively measured nighttime sleep duration on gestational glucose tolerance. We additionally examined associations of objectively measured daytime sleep duration and nap frequency on maternal glycemic control.

METHODS

Sixty-three urban, low-income, pregnant women wore wrist actigraphs for an average of 6 full days in mid-pregnancy prior to screening for hyperglycemia using the 1-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Correlations of nighttime and daytime sleep durations with 1-h OGTT values were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate independent associations between sleep parameters and hyperglycemia, defined as 1-h OGTT values ≥130 mg/dL.

RESULTS

Mean nighttime sleep duration was 6.9±0.9 h which was inversely correlated with 1-h OGTT values (r=-0.28, P=.03). Shorter nighttime sleep was associated with hyperglycemia, even after controlling for age and body mass index (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.2 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.1-0.8]). There were no associations of daytime sleep duration and nap frequency with 1-h OGTT values or hyperglycemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Using objective measures of maternal sleep time, we found that women with shorter nighttime sleep durations had an increased risk for gestational hyperglycemia. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm our negative daytime sleep findings.