Abstract

Sleep related disorders of breathing (SDB) in terms of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are common in postmenopausal women. But also in the premenopausal period OSA has a frequency of more than 2%. Some physiological changes during pregnancy may support the appearance of obstructive SDB. But younger women with sleep apnea very often do not suffer from typical symptoms of SDB. Therefore screening questionnaires for SDB are not very suitable for the detection of sleep apnea in younger women and notably during pregnancy. The prevalence rate of SDB in pregnancy varies dependent on definitions, methods and the investigated population. At least at the beginning of pregnancy in young women with normal weight snoring and OSA are rather seldom. Overweight and older age are the crucial risk factors for the appearance of pathological snoring and OSA at the beginning of pregnancy and for the increase of frequency of SDB during pregnancy. In the 3rd trimenon the frequency of SDB increases up to 10 – 30%. SDB are supposed to have both a negative impact on morbidity and mortality of the mother and on the fetal outcome.

Author Details

Authors

• K. Rasche¹
• M. Orth²

Departments

• ¹ Bergisches Lungenzentrum, Klinik für Pneumologie, Allergologie, Schlaf- und Beatmungsmedizin, Universität Witten/Herdecke, HELIOS Universitätsklinikum Wuppertal,
• ² Medizinische Klinik III, Pneumologie, Pneumologische Onkologie, Allergologie, Schlaf- und Beatmungsmedizin, Theresienkrankenhaus und St. Hedwig Klinik GmbH, Mannheim

Address

Prof. Dr. med. Kurt Rasche
Bergisches Lungenzentrum
Klinik für Pneumologie, Allergologie, Schlaf- und Beatmungsmedizin
HELIOS Universitätsklinikum Wuppertal
Universität Witten/Herdecke
Heusnerstraße 40
42283 Wuppertal
Email: [email protected]

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