Sleep, depression, anxiety, stress and circadian preferences among women in the third trimester. Are these variables related to mother’s expectations about their child’s sleep?

Abstract

Pregnancy is a period of significant physical and psychological changes. Pregnant women often struggle with poor sleep quality which can increase the risk of developing depression and anxiety. Additional factors can affect sleep quality and vice versa. We focused on an understudied topic: pregnant women`s expectations about how their infant will sleep. This study aims to describe the potential correlates and predictors of women`s sleep quality and their expectations about child sleep in a broader context. In total, 250 women participated in the research. Participants completed questionnaires PSQI, MEQ, DASS-21 and BISQ-R. To verify the set aims, we used Pearson’s correlation coefficient, t-test and general linear model (GLM), including methods for determining the effect size (Hedges’ g, r2, ε2). The results showed that sleep quality is related to circadian preference, depression, anxiety and stress. Women with poor sleep quality were more evening type and scored higher on these variables. Anxiety, circadian preference and the week of pregnancy were the most significant predictors of sleep quality. Women with at least one child and women who did not prepare for childbirth and motherhood and had not encountered information about a child’s sleep scored higher in BISQ-R. A hypothesis can be put forward that sufficient information before childbirth and earlier maternal experiences can affect expectations about a child’s sleep. This hypothesis would need to be verified in future research.