Pregnancy-related discomforts associated with sleep characteristics

This study investigated variations in pregnancy-related discomfort experienced, as well as their relationships with sleep during each trimester. A total of 344 pregnant women (first trimester 98, second trimester 105, third trimester 141) were surveyed using the pregnancy-related discomforts scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The nausea, shoulder discomfort, and cold hands and feet experienced during the first trimester were worse than during the third trimester. The fatigue felt during the first and third trimesters were related to sleep quality and daytime dysfunction. The malaise experienced during the first trimester was related to sleep quality. During the second trimester, the malaise was related to daytime dysfunction and during the third, it was related to both sleep quality and daytime dysfunction. The nausea experienced during the first trimester was related to sleep disturbances. The irritability demonstrated during the second trimester was related to sleep quality. These results suggest that understanding sleep disorders experienced by pregnant women will be helpful in predicting pregnancy-related discomforts.