Not enough sleep in early pregnancy increases pre-eclampsia risk
Mums-to-be who sleep badly in the first and second trimester have an increased risk of high blood pressure and birth complications
Pregnant women who sleep for less than five hours a night early in their pregnancy are 10 times more likely to suffer from pre-eclampsia than women who sleep for longer, a new study has found.
Researchers looked at the sleeping habits of 1,172 mums-to-be and found the risks of high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia went up with lack of sleep in the early months of pregnancy.
The majority of women slept for more than seven hours a night but 13.7% suffered from sleeping problems that reduced the amount of time they slept to less than 6 hours.
Professor Michelle Williams, who ran the study, hopes these findings will help encourage women to make lifestyle changes to establish a consistent sleep schedule before they become pregnant.
If you’re struggling to catch your 40 winks, check our guide to comfortable pregnancy sleeping and know the warning signs of pre-eclampsia.
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