PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Pregnant women who snore at higher risk for C-sections, delivering smaller babies

Snoring at least 3 nights a week may influence delivery and baby's health; higher risk for moms with sleep-related breathing problem pre-pregnancy

2013-11-01
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Beata Mostafavi
bmostafa@umich.edu
734-764-2220
University of Michigan Health System
Pregnant women who snore at higher risk for C-sections, delivering smaller babies Snoring at least 3 nights a week may influence delivery and baby's health; higher risk for moms with sleep-related breathing problem pre-pregnancy ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Snoring during pregnancy may be bad for the new baby's health, according to research from the University of Michigan Health System.

Moms who snored three or more nights a week had a higher risk of poor delivery outcomes – including Cesarean births and delivering smaller babies – according to the research that appears in scientific journal Sleep. The study is believed to be the largest of its kind to link maternal snoring to baby health by following moms from pregnancy through delivery.

Chronic snorers (moms who snored before and during pregnancy) are two thirds more likely to have a baby that's born below the tenth percentile for babies of the same gestational age (smaller than 90 percent of other babies the same gestation) compared to non-snorers. They are also more than twice as likely to need an elective C-section, researchers found.

"There has been great interest in the implications of snoring during pregnancy and how it affects maternal health but there is little data on how it may impact the health of the baby," says lead author Louise O'Brien, Ph.D., M.S., associate professor at U-M's Sleep Disorders Center in the Department of Neurology and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the U-M Medical School.

"We've found that chronic snoring is associated with both smaller babies and C-sections, even after we accounted for other risk factors. This suggests that we have a window of opportunity to screen pregnant women for breathing problems during sleep that may put them at risk of poor delivery outcomes."

Timing of snoring patterns also made a difference in outcomes, researchers found. Chronic snorers who snored before and during pregnancy had the highest risks, being more likely to have smaller babies and elective C-sections. Meanwhile, those who started snoring only during pregnancy had higher risk of both elective and emergency C-sections than women who did not snore.

The study included 1,673 pregnant women who were recruited from prenatal clinics at U-M between 2007 and 2010, with 35 percent of the women reporting habitual snoring.

Snoring is a key sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep-related breathing problem that can reduce blood oxygen levels during the night and has already been associated with serious, expensive health conditions. The new research comes a year after another study led by O'Brien showed that women who begin snoring during pregnancy are at high risk for high blood pressure and preeclampsia.

Pregnant women can be treated for obstructive sleep apnea using CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). The method involves a machine worn during sleep that uses air pressure to keep the airways open.

"Millions of healthcare dollars are spent on operative deliveries, taking care of babies who are admitted to the NICU and treating secondary health problems that smaller babies are at risk for when grown," says O'Brien, who is also an associate research scientist in the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.

"If we can identify risks during pregnancy that can be treated, such as obstructive sleep apnea, we can reduce the incidence of small babies, C-sections and possibly NICU admission that not only improve long term health benefits for newborns but also help keep costs down."

INFORMATION:

Additional Authors: Alexandra S. Bullough, MB. ChB., FRCA.; Jocelynn T. Owusu, M.P.H.; Kimberley A. Tremblay, M.S.; Cynthia A. Brincat, M.D., Ph.D.; Mark C. Chames, M.D.;John D. Kalbfleisch, Ph.D.; Ronald D. Chervin, M.D., M.S., all of U-M.

Disclosures: None

Funding: NIH HL089918, the Gilmore Fund for Sleep Research, and MICHR grant UL1RR024986

Reference: Sleep, "Snoring during pregnancy and delivery outcomes: A Cohort Study," Vol.36, No.11, 2013. .

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

'Flipping the switch' reveals new compounds with antibiotic potential

2013-11-01
'Flipping the switch' reveals new compounds with antibiotic potential CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered that one gene in a common fungus acts as a master regulator, and deleting it has opened access to a wealth ...

Former missile-tracking telescope helps reveal fate of baby pulsar

2013-11-01
Former missile-tracking telescope helps reveal fate of baby pulsar A radio telescope once used to track ballistic missiles has helped astronomers determine how the magnetic field structure and rotation of the young and rapidly rotating Crab pulsar ...

Automated system promises precise control of medically induced coma

2013-11-01
Automated system promises precise control of medically induced coma Successful animal study may lead to computer-controlled general anesthesia delivery Putting patients with severe head injuries or persistent seizures into a medically induced coma currently ...

Leading cause of heart disease ignored in North America's poorest communities

2013-11-01
Leading cause of heart disease ignored in North America's poorest communities Inaction has jeopardized the health and economic well-being of millions A leading cause of heart disease remains overlooked in North America's most impoverished communities, researchers ...

NYU study on incarcerated youth shows potential to lower anti-social behavior and recidivism

2013-11-01
NYU study on incarcerated youth shows potential to lower anti-social behavior and recidivism The researchers investigated the impact of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness training on attentional task performance in incarcerated adolescents Researchers ...

Microbleeds important to consider in brain-related treatments, UCI neurologist says

2013-11-01
Microbleeds important to consider in brain-related treatments, UCI neurologist says Stroke prevention strategies should address both blood clotting, protection of vessels Irvine, Calif., Oct. 31, 2013 — As growing numbers of America's baby boomers reach retirement, ...

Scientists capture most detailed picture yet of key AIDS protein

2013-11-01
Scientists capture most detailed picture yet of key AIDS protein Finding represents a scientific feat and progress towards an HIV vaccine NEW YORK (October 31, 2013) -- Collaborating scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and Weill Cornell ...

NIH-funded scientists reveal structure of HIV protein key to cell entry

2013-11-01
NIH-funded scientists reveal structure of HIV protein key to cell entry Finding holds promise for HIV vaccine development Using protein engineering and two different cutting-edge structural biology imaging ...

Plant production could decline as climate change affects soil nutrients

2013-11-01
Plant production could decline as climate change affects soil nutrients As drylands of the world become even drier, water will not be the only resource in short supply. Levels of nutrients in the soil will likely be affected, and their imbalance could affect ...

Supreme Court's Obamacare decision established new limits on federal authority, IU paper says

2013-11-01
Supreme Court's Obamacare decision established new limits on federal authority, IU paper says BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A new paper by an Indiana University professor sheds new light on the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act, which ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained

Less intensive works best for agricultural soil

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests

Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome

UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership

New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll

Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025

Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025

AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials

New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age

Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker

Chips off the old block

Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19

Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity

State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections

Young adults drive historic decline in smoking

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects

A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions

AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate

Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative

Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine

[Press-News.org] Pregnant women who snore at higher risk for C-sections, delivering smaller babies
Snoring at least 3 nights a week may influence delivery and baby's health; higher risk for moms with sleep-related breathing problem pre-pregnancy