In yet another example of the wide-ranging side effects of sleep apnea, a study recently came out showing that women with obstructive sleep apnea risk having babies that are premature…and worse.
In the study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers concluded that women with OSA are at increased risk of:
- Low-birthweight babies
- Preterm birth
- Babies who are “small for gestational age”
What’s interesting is the reason for these complications. Researchers speculate that OSA causes these issues because of the lower level of oxygen that the mother has, due to her OSA. Here’s exactly what the researchers say in the study:
“The mechanisms underlying the relationship between OSA and adverse pregnancy outcomes remain obscure. It has been suggested that the frequency and intensity
of OSA-associated apnea and hypopnea may be low enough to spare mothers of adverse effects yet still be harmful to their more oxygen-sensitive fetuses.
One study…reported that greater resistance to airflow had a significantly greater impact on the overall oxygen homeostasis in pregnant women than in nonpregnant women. Another study…also found that the consequences of increased upper airway resistance during pregnant women’s sleep might negatively affect their infants.
Further studies are still needed to characterize the contributions of biochemical, metabolic, and immune changes arising from OSA to pregnancy outcome.”
Yet another reason to find a permanent cure for your obstructive sleep apnea!
To read the full study, please go to the original article here: Obstructive sleep apnea and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes
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