Study: Pregnancy Sleep Patterns Could Be a Predictor of Preterm Birth

There’s no surprise that parenthood comes with its fair share of sleep deprivation, but even before baby makes their arrival, getting a sound night of sleep can be tough. Between shifting hormones and a growing belly, getting consistent rest isn’t always in your control. But new research suggests that monitoring pregnancy sleep patterns might offer valuable insight into preterm birth risk, giving doctors another way to support patients every step of the way.

Preterm birth, defined as delivery before 37 weeks, is the leading cause of death in children under age 5. While the causes are often unclear, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that irregular sleep in early pregnancy may be one more signal to help doctors identify and monitor potential risk.

The team analyzed data from 665 pregnant participants, each of whom wore a clinically validated wrist device that tracked movement and sleep patterns for two-week stretches. They also filled out surveys about their sleep. Using machine learning to analyze both data sets, researchers found a link between sleep variability, frequently changing bedtime and wake-up times, and preterm birth.

“We found that measures of sleep are decently predictive of preterm birth,” Ben Warner, a doctoral student in the McKelvey School of Engineering and the study’s lead author, said in a press release. “Variability in sleep patterns tends to be a stronger predictor of preterm birth than average sleep metrics, and getting consistent sleep is more important than getting good sleep on average.”

Overall, roughly 14 percent of participants in the study experienced a preterm birth. The findings suggest that disrupted or inconsistent sleep may be an early sign, but importantly not a cause, of higher risk of preterm birth. Because the data were gathered well before the third-trimester sleep slump, researchers are hopeful that this link may hint at a new path for early, noninvasive screening.

Sarah England, PhD, a Washington University professor and vice chair for research of obstetrics and gynecology at WashU Medicine, noted that there’s currently no intervention for preterm birth because we can’t predict who is as risk and who is not. This research, along with other studies, is a step forward to providing that care. “We’re hoping that this will be much more helpful in getting predictive power of women who are going to be at higher risk.”

If you are concerned about your preterm birth risk or sleep habits, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor. In the meantime, learn more about pregnancy insomnia and tips for getting more regular and consistent sleep.