Snoring and sleep apnea during pregnancy and postpartum period

Abstract

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a group of disorders that includes a spectrum ranging from simple snoring to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Sleep disorders impair the quality of life in pregnant women and cause many symptoms such as daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and lack of concentration, and it also has very severe obstetric (hypertension, preeclampsia, diabetes, and depression) and fetal (small for gestational age, preterm birth, intrauterine growth retardation, low APGAR, etc.) consequences. The diagnosis and management of SDB in pregnancy are challenging due to most symptoms being indistinguishable from the general symptoms and signs of pregnancy. Although the gold standard method for diagnosis is all-night polysomnography, it is not always applicable during pregnancy. Management of SDB in pregnancy is also a subject of debate. Prescribing drugs in pregnant patients is not recommended. It is important to prevent weight gain and obesity during pregnancy. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) remains the most effective treatment modality in SDB during pregnancy.