Lack of Sleep Increase The Risk of Complications in Pregnant Women

A recent study from the University of Pittsburgh found that irregular sleep schedule during pregnancy can increase the risk of babies born with low birth weight and other complications.

"Pregnant women need to pay attention to sleep patterns, not to be less," said study author, Michele Okun, as quoted by Medical Daily.

Quality sleep is essential for maternal and infant health development in the future. Unfortunately, most pregnant women often experience symptoms of insomnia or irregular sleep schedules.

Bad habits that lack of sleep can impair the body's inflammatory response. So that the immune system is susceptible to disease.

Lack of sleep also can trigger depression. If left unchecked, of course, is not the health of pregnant women at risk, but also the fetus in the womb.

About 170 pregnant women in the 20th week of pregnancy were included. For more than 10 weeks, researchers examined their sleep patterns. Investigators later found that irregular sleep patterns weaken the immune system and increase the risk of complications.

The results then reported in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.