Pregnant women who sleep on their back in the third trimester have a higher risk of stillbirth. The results were obtained in the scientific work of British scientists and published in the journal Clinical Medicine.
Why is it not recommended to lie on your back during pregnancy?
In late pregnancy, compression of the inferior vena cava and aorta can occur while lying on your back due to the weight of the fetus. One of the possible consequences is placental insufficiency. Therefore, pregnant women have long been advised not to lie in supine position.
The advice is often ignored by the argument that a pregnant woman regularly changes her position at night. Studies show, however, that the position that people occupy before going to bed lasts the longest.
A team of scientists from the University of Huddersfield has now summarized the epidemiological data in a new scientific paper. The authors of 4 of 5 previous studies agreed to provide participant data. Clinical analysis based on data from individual patients avoids inaccuracies and is considered the gold standard.
A new study comparing 851 women after stillbirth and 2257 with normal pregnancy confirms the importance of falling asleep in the right position. Pregnant women should try to sleep laterally. It does not matter whether they lie on the left or right side in accordance with the new work.
What other factors increase the risk of stillbirth?
Other risk factors for stillbirth include low levels of education, body weight, and smoking. According to scientific work, in women with 3 or 4 pregnancies, the risk of stillbirth increases by 67%.
With 5 or more pregnancies, the risk is more than doubled. Pregnant women with secondary education are 39% more likely to have a miscarriage than university graduates. Body mass index increases risk by 3% per unit.
Smoking increases the risk of stillbirth by 62%.
Significant risk factors on the part of the child were reduced fetal movements and too little growth.
In lateral position, does the fetus sleep better?
Researchers shot pregnant women at night using an infrared camera. Using cardiotocography, specialists recorded the cardiac action of the fetus. Most pregnant women preferred to lie on their left side when falling asleep. Only 2 women lay on their backs.
Evaluation of cardiotocography showed that the fetus, when lying on its back, moves less.
He spends most of his time in phases 1F (silent sleep) and 2F (active sleep). Phase 4F, in which the fetus exhibits active movements, practically does not occur in a pregnant woman lying on her back.
In the left position, pregnant women had a fetus up to 4.4% of the time in the 4F sleep phase. In the position on the right, the share was even 5.2%. On the other hand, when a pregnant woman was lying on her back, this proportion was only 0.8%.
Researchers recommend no panic
Lateral position when falling asleep is important, as a person is in this position most of the night. However, women should not wake up on their backs and think that they have done something terrible. It is important to fall asleep, and not wake up in a lateral position.
Even in the daytime, women should pay attention to the lateral position. An effective way to improve your posture is to put a pillow behind your back so that it is difficult to roll over. Researchers found no difference between women who slept on their left or right side.
Why the supine position seems to lead to stillbirth is unclear. A team of scientists suspects that the weight of the baby and pelvis compress blood vessels together. This gives the fetus less blood and oxygen from the mother.
Skeptics believe that there is no reason to panic
The studies, according to critics, have a weak evidence base. There is a slight association between stillbirth and the position of the mother during sleep. However, even in this case, it is recommended to give preference to the lateral position until further scientific work is carried out.
