Prevalence and associated features of restless legs syndrome in a population of Iranian women during pregnancy

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) during pregnancy and to evaluate factors associated with RLS in a population of Iranian pregnant women. MethodsIn the present cross-sectional study, 443 consecutive pregnant women admitted for delivery underwent an interview within 2days of parturition. The diagnosis of RLS was established by the 4 criteria of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG). The severity of RLS was assessed through the IRLSSG Rating Scale. ResultsSeventy-nine (17.8%) women met the RLS diagnostic criteria, with most (74.7%) having RLS of moderate severity. The mean RLS duration before delivery was 3.1±2.1months among 69 (87.3%) women; 10 (12.7%) had RLS onset before pregnancy. Sleep disturbances including insomnia and early awakening were significantly more common among women with RLS than among those without (P<0.001), and the frequency of cesarean delivery was also significantly higher (58.2% versus 44.5%, P=0.027; odds ratio 2.4). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of age, number of pregnancies, folate and iron supplementation, hemoglobin level, and neonatal anthropometric data. ConclusionRestless legs syndrome is common during pregnancy and is associated with poor sleep and an increased risk of cesarean delivery.