SLEEP TIMING AND DEPRESSION RISK IN PREGNANCY

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

5-1-2024

Publication Title

Sleep

Abstract

Introduction: There is growing evidence that sleep timing is linked to health outcomes. Poorly timed sleep has been associated with metabolic risk factors and mood problems although there is a lack of data in the pregnant population. Emerging data suggest that late sleep timing during pregnancy may be associated with gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and preterm birth. However, data on sleep timing and mood during pregnancy are lacking. Methods: Pregnant women were recruited from prenatal clinics at a large Midwestern tertiary referral center. Women were eligible if they were at least 18 years old and pregnant in their second or third trimester with a single fetus. There were no other exclusion criteria. Participants were queried about their sleep including questions about the time they went to bed, the time they woke up and their typical nocturnal sleep duration. Sleep mid-point was calculated as the time midway between bedtime and wake time and a delayed midpoint was defined as being after 4:00am. Demographic information was abstracted from medical records. Women were considered to have depression with a score of 13 or more on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) or a clinical diagnosis of depression. Results: A total of 1349 women were included in the analysis, of which 15% were classified as having depression. Mean age was 30.7 years (SD 5.6 years) and mean gestational age was 33.8 weeks (SD 4.3 weeks). Overall, 26% of women had a sleep midpoint after 4:00am. In a regression model, women with a delayed sleep midpoint had a significantly increased odds ratio for depression (OR 1.4, 95%CI 1.1-1.8), which did not appreciably change after controlling for age, race, presence of hypertension or diabetes, first pregnancy, marital status, and sleep duration (aOR 1.5, 95%CI 1.1-2.2). Conclusion: We provide initial evidence suggesting a link between self-reported late sleep midpoint and depressive symptoms in pregnancy. Assessment of sleep timing during pregnancy may have potential for identification of women at risk of depression.

Volume

47

First Page

A311

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