Modifying Maternal Sleep Position in Late Pregnancy Through Positional Therapy: A Feasibility Study

The supine sleep position in late pregnancy is a major risk factor for stillbirth, with a population attributable risk of 5.8% and one in four pregnant women reportedly sleeping in a supine position. Although the mechanisms linking the supine sleep position and late stillbirth remain unclear, there is evidence that it exacerbates pre-existing maternal sleep disordered breathing, which is another known risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes. Given that maternal sleep position is a potentially modifiable risk factor, the aim of this study was to characterize and correlate uteroplacental and fetal hemodynamics, including cardiac function, in a cohort of women with apparently uncomplicated pregnancies with their nocturnal sleep position. This was a prospective observational cohort study at an Australian tertiary obstetric hospital. Women were asked to complete a series of questions related to their sleep position in late pregnancy after 35 weeks of completed gestation. They also underwent an ultrasound assessment where Doppler indices of various fetoplacental vessels and fetal cardiac function were measured. Regional cerebral perfusion was also assessed. Pregnancy outcome data was extracted from the electronic hospital database for analysis. A total of 274 women were included in the final analysis. Of these, 78.1% (214/274) reported no supine sleep, and 21.9% (60/274) reported going to sleep in a supine position. The middle cerebral artery, anterior cerebral artery, and vertebral artery pulsatility indices were all significantly lower in the supine sleep cohort, as was the cerebroplacental ratio. There were no significant differences in the mode or indication for delivery or in serious neonatal outcomes, including 5-min Apgar score < 7, acidosis, and neonatal intensive care unit admission between cohorts. Women in the supine cohort were more likely to have an infant with a BW > 90th centile (p = 0.04). This data demonstrates fetal brain sparing in association with the maternal supine sleep position in a low-risk population. This data contributes to the growing body of literature attempting to elucidate the etiological pathways responsible for the association of late stillbirth with the maternal supine sleep position.

Download Full-text

Modifying maternal sleep position in the third trimester of pregnancy with positional therapy: a randomised pilot trial

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020256 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (8) ◽

pp. e020256 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Allan J Kember ◽

Heather M Scott ◽

Louise M O’Brien ◽

Ali Borazjani ◽

Michael B Butler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pilot Trial ◽

Sleep Time ◽

Sleep Architecture ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Sleep Position ◽

Positional Therapy ◽

Third Trimester ◽

Double Blind ◽

The Third ◽

Maternal Sleep

ObjectiveTo evaluate whether the percentage of time spent supine during sleep in the third trimester of pregnancy could be reduced using a positional therapy device (PrenaBelt) compared with a sham device.DesignA double-blind, randomised, sham-controlled, cross-over pilot trial.SettingConducted between March 2016 and January 2017, at a single, tertiary-level centre in Canada.Participants23 participants entered the study. 20 participants completed the study. Participants were low-risk, singleton, third-trimester pregnant women aged 18 years and older with body mass index <35 kg/m2at the first antenatal appointment for the index pregnancy and without known fetal abnormalities, pregnancy complications or medical conditions complicating sleep.InterventionsA two-night, polysomnography study in a sleep laboratory. Participants were randomised by computer-generated, one-to-one, simple randomisation to receive either a PrenaBelt or a sham-PrenaBelt on the first night and were crossed over to the alternate device on the second night. Allocation concealment was by unmarked, security-tinted, sealed envelopes. Participants, the recruiter and personnel involved in setting up, conducting, scoring and interpreting the polysomnogram were blinded to allocation.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome was the percentage of time spent supine during sleep. Secondary outcomes included maternal sleep architecture, respiration, self-reported sleep position and feedback.ResultsThe median percentage of sleep time supine was reduced from 16.4% on the sham night to 3.5% on the PrenaBelt night (pseudomedian=5.8, p=0.03). We were unable to demonstrate differences in sleep architecture or respiration. Participants underestimated the time they spent sleeping supine by 7.0%, and six (30%) participants indicated they would make changes to the PrenaBelt. There were no harms in this study.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that the percentage of sleep time supine during late pregnancy can be significantly reduced via positional therapy.Trial registration numberNCT02377817; Results.

Download Full-text