A study from the University of South Australia relates stillbirth to sleep

Researchers from Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom interviewed 153 women who gave birth after death (after 28 weeks of pregnancy) and 480 women with an ongoing pregnancy in the third trimester or having recently given birth.

The study, published in the journal Birth, found that prolonged periods of undisturbed sleep during pregnancy were badociated with late fetal death, independent of other risk factors.

Senior researcher, Jane Warland, badociate professor at the School of Nursing and Obstetrics at the University of South Australia, said the findings suggest that sleep disorders might be a factor protection during pregnancy.

"Until now, maternal sleep has been overlooked as a potential risk factor for stillbirth, but the results of this study deserve to be deepened," said Professor Assland, Warland.

"The blood pressure reaches its lowest point during sleep but when someone wakes up, there is an increase in the activity of the nervous system that causes an increase in blood pressure. This is important because low blood pressure has been badociated with fetal growth problems, premature birth and stillbirth. "

The online data was collected as part of a case-control study of participants who experienced a stillbirth within 30 days of the survey. The study examined changes in maternal sleep practices before, during the last month and during the last night of pregnancy.

"This is a unique discovery, but one that supports existing research on maternal sleep, which shows that women are less likely to wake up several times during the night," said Professor Assoc, Warland.

According to estimates of the World Health Organization, 2.6 million stillbirths were recorded worldwide in 2015. Among the established risk factors include the advanced age of the mother, l 39; obesity, smoking and diseases such as diabetes and pre-eclampsia.

Professor Ass Warland said that it was unusual for pregnant women to sleep more than nine hours a night, especially towards the end of their pregnancy.

"Another hypothesis that we have considered is that women who sleep well over nine hours do so because their babies are not very active," said Professor Assland Warland.

"Normally, the baby would move and naturally wake up his mother during sleep, which could be a future research track."

Professor Ass Warland will continue her research on risk factors for late-born babies. Her next study will focus on the importance of mother's sleep positioning during pregnancy.

"The unborn baby develops during one third of its life while the mother sleeps, sleep is an important concept to control the risk factors of stillbirth."

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