Sleep Apnea as a Risk Factor

Letters to the Editor Diseases and Complications of the Puerperium by Dr. med. Susanne Schrey-Petersen, Dr. med. Anne Tauscher, Dr. med. Anne Dathan-Stumpf, and Prof. Dr. med. Holger Stepan in issue 25/2021

Sleep-related breathing disorders present a risk factor during pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium that should not be underestimated. A very extensive USA cohort study (1) of all inpatient treatments in the period from 1998 to 2008, with over 55 million women, disclosed that those with obstructive sleep apnea had a significantly higher probability (odds ratio) of the occurrence of thrombosis, embolism, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, cesarean delivery, gestational diabetes, stillbirth, and small-for-gestational age infants, as compared to those without sleep apnea. The question of snoring and/or breathing cessations observed by others should be part of the diagnosis during pregnancy. If necessary, Further examinations, such as polygraphy or polysomnography, are indicated as necessary.

DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2022.0032

Dr. med. Holger Hein

Reinbek, Germany

Conflict of interest statement:

Dr. Hein works on a voluntary basis as Regional Manager North and Head of the Sleeping Aid Commission of the The German Sleep Society (DGSM) as well as Chair of the Norddeutschen Vereinigung für Schlafmedizin.

References

1. Louis JM, Mogos MF, Salemi JL, Redline S, Salihu HM: Obstructive sleep apnea and severe maternal-infant morbidity/mortality in the United States, 1998–2009. Sleep 2014; 37: 843–9

2. Schrey-Petersen S, Tauscher A, Dathan-Stumpf A, Stepan H: Diseases and complications of the puerperium. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2021; 118: 436–46