Insufficient sleep duration and poor sleep quality highly prevalent among women with GDM due to bad sleep hygiene: Study

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a frequently occurring issue during pregnancy, impacting about 16.7% of global live births annually, which corresponds to roughly 21 million cases. While inadequate sleep quality is commonly observed in this group, current research primarily examines how sleep disorders affect GDM instead of directly evaluating sleep quality in women diagnosed with GDM. This research intends to explore sleep quality and related factors uniquely among women with GDM. The study by Yu et al. focused on investigating sleep quality and its associated factors in women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). GDM is a common complication of pregnancy, affecting around 16.7% of live births worldwide. The study aimed to address the gap in research that predominantly focused on the impact of sleep disorders on GDM, rather than directly assessing sleep quality in women with GDM. The research was conducted as a multicenter cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China, involving 393 women with GDM. The data collection included sociodemographic characteristics, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Sleep Hygiene Scale, and the Pregnancy-related Anxiety Scale (PrAS). The findings indicated that 43.77% of participants had a sleep duration of less than 8 hours per night, and 45.55% experienced poor sleep quality. Factors such as worrying about inability to fall asleep, body image concern, educational attainment, sleep disturbances by bed partners, among others, significantly impacted sleep quality.

Prevalence of Sleep Issues in Women with GDM

The study highlighted a high prevalence of insufficient sleep duration and poor sleep quality among women with GDM, which was influenced by inadequate sleep hygiene habits and pregnancy-related anxiety. Factors like educational attainment and employment status during pregnancy were also associated with sleep quality. The results emphasized the need for healthcare professionals to identify and address sleep disorders promptly in women with GDM.

Study Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research

The study's limitations included the cross-sectional design, limiting causal inference, and the small sample size, potentially affecting generalizability. Suggestions for future research included longitudinal studies to explore sleep quality changes during and after pregnancy. The findings underscored the importance of public health interventions, improved sleep hygiene practices, and tailored strategies to manage anxiety and promote healthy sleep behaviors in women with GDM. Addressing such issues is crucial for improving maternal and fetal health outcomes in this population and enhancing glycemic control throughout pregnancy.

Key Points

- Investigated sleep quality and associated factors in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) - Conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China, with 393 participants

- Found that 43.77% of women had a sleep duration of less than 8 hours, and 45.55% experienced poor sleep quality

- Identified factors impacting sleep quality including worrying about inability to fall asleep, body image concern, educational attainment, and sleep disturbances by bed partners

- Highlighted a high prevalence of insufficient sleep duration and poor sleep quality in women with GDM influenced by inadequate sleep hygiene habits and pregnancy-related anxiety

- Emphasized the need for healthcare professionals to promptly address sleep disorders in women with GDM, suggested longitudinal studies for exploring sleep quality changes during and after pregnancy, and recommended public health interventions and tailored strategies to manage anxiety and promote healthy sleep behaviors.

Reference –

Yu, J., Chen, Z., Chen, Y. et al. Neglected sleep quality problems in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a multi-center cross-sectional study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 24, 794 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-024-06940-y