Sleep-Disordered Breathing in High-risk Pregnancies is Associated With Elevated Arterial Stiffness and Increased Risk for Preeclampsia

Abstract

(Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022;226:833.e1–20) Hormonal changes inherent in pregnancy can predispose women to sleep-disordered breathing that restrict airflow and can cause hypoxia. Snoring can be a sign of sleep-disordered breathing, and is also correlated with fetal growth restriction, gestational hypertension, and diabetes. Past studies have associated sleep-disordered breathing with preeclampsia, and arterial stiffness has been shown to be elevated in women who later develop preeclampsia, but prior studies have not studied the relationship. This study assessed the correlation between sleep-disordered breathing and arterial stiffness in women diagnosed with preeclampsia during pregnancy and investigated the association between sleep disordered breathing and preeclampsia.