"Overweight Pregnant Women with Sleep Apnea Increase Risks of Preeclampsia and Preterm Birth"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] A study has found that sleep apnea increases the risk of complications such as preeclampsia and preterm birth in overweight pregnant women.

The research team led by Professors Ryu Kwang-hee and Kim Hyo-yeol from the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, and Professor Oh Soo-young from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Samsung Medical Center announced on the 30th the results on the correlation between sleep apnea and late-pregnancy preeclampsia in overweight pregnant women.

The team conducted portable polysomnography on 51 pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI) of 23 (kg/m²) or higher and beyond 30 weeks of pregnancy between June 2017 and December 2018.

As a result, the frequency of sleep apnea among the subjects was confirmed to be relatively common at 27.5%. The average pre-pregnancy BMI of the group diagnosed with sleep apnea was 26.1, higher than the 22.8 of those without sleep apnea. At the time of study enrollment (beyond 30 weeks of pregnancy), the average BMI was also higher in the sleep apnea group at 30.4 compared to 27.8 in the non-sleep apnea group.

The incidence of preeclampsia was 28.6% in the sleep apnea diagnosed group, significantly higher than 2.7% in those without sleep apnea, and the frequencies of preterm birth and cesarean section also increased.

Professor Ryu explained, "Sleep apnea in overweight pregnant women has been confirmed as a significant indicator of preeclampsia occurrence in late pregnancy," adding, "This means that detailed sleep apnea examinations should be actively conducted for overweight pregnant women."

Professor Oh said, "According to the guidelines of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, screening for sleep apnea is recommended at the initial visit for pregnant women with obesity," and added, "We hope that more active management and treatment of obesity in pregnant women in Korea will lead to 'healthy childbirth.'"

This study was recently published in the international journal 'Journal of Korean Medical Science.'