LAUSR

Prenatal sleep quality is an important factor in pregnancy and delivery outcomes and prenatal sleep disorders have been linked to a variety of negative maternal/fetal outcomes. At the same time, pregnancy itself is a risk factor for the development of several sleep disorders including insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome. Obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) are well-positioned to provide access to resources or treatment for sleep disorders early in the presentation of symptoms, and thus could contribute to overall sleep health and positive birth outcomes. A 104-question survey was developed to assess ob-gyns’ knowledge and treatment patterns as they relate to screening and treating sleep disorders among pregnant patients. It was distributed to randomly selected physicians registered with the Pregnancy-Related Care Research Network (PRCRN; N= 220). Response rate was 46%. Of those surveyed, 89.2% reported that they never screen for sleep disorders, or do so only when their patients report symptoms. When asked about various risks associated with maternal sleep disorders, providers recognized, on average, 60.9% these associations. Roughly half of providers did not recognize associations between maternal sleep disorders and gestational diabetes (49%), maternal mortality (54.9%), premature delivery (51%), or low infant birth weight (50%). Only 18.6% recognized the association between sleep disorders and cesarean delivery. While 99.0% of respondents endorsed that sleep quality is important to wellness, and 90.2% reported that it is an important issue for their patients, only 14.7% and 11.8% reported confidence in their own ability to diagnose and treat sleep disorders, respectively. There are significant opportunities for educating ob-gyns about sleep disorders and their impact on perinatal outcomes. Additional resources aimed at increasing screening of pregnant patients during perinatal visits could increase early interventions and improve maternal/fetal outcomes.