Changes of the sleep in pregnant women with intrauterine fetal growth restriction

Abstract

Objective – to study the reasons of appearance, terms of manifestation and types of the sleep disorders in pregnant women with intrauterine growth restriction of fetus. 80 pregnant women with placental insufficiency, manifesting as intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR) of II–III degree in the 3rd pregnancy trimester (study group) and 30 women with normal clinical flow of pregnancy (control group) were questioned. They were asked about pregnancy term when the complains of the sleep disorders were firstly expressed, as well as about types of the sleep disorders and their frequency (in times per week). Questioning showed that pregnant women with IUGR in 86% cases experience the sleep disorders starting from pregnancy term 12–22 weeks (healthy pregnant women — mostly after 30 weeks, 57% cases), more commonly wake up 2 or more times per night (71% of positive answers, in control group – 23%), and 3 or more times per week (78% of positive answers, in control group – 17%). Thus, sleep disorders in pregnant women with IUGR appear earlier and seem to be more expressed then in pregnant women with normal fetal growth. Expression of the complains of insomnia, in our opinion, might be considered as an early diagnostic sign of forming of placental insufficiency, which is later realized as IUGR.