Treatment of Sdb Reverses Low Fetal Activity Levels in Preeclampsia

15 Preeclampsia, CPAP & Sleep Disordered Breathing—Blyton et al INTRODUCTION Preeclampsia is an important and common complication of pregnancy, characterized by the onset of hypertension after 20 weeks gestation with accompanying proteinuria, affecting approximately 5% of pregnancies. It is a major cause of maternal mortality and a risk factor for fetal growth restriction.1 Women with preeclampsia have higher than normal sympathetic nervous activity,2 which in turn increases systemic vascular resistance. Obstructive sleep apnea and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) influence sympathetic nervous system activity, a pathway implicated in obstructive sleep apnea induced hypertension. In adults with obstructive sleep apnea, treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) reduces this activity.3 There is clear evidence that snoring increases during pregnancy, with a number of studies reporting data on self-reported snoring.4,5 Moreover, there is some evidence that snoring during pregnancy is associated with poorer fetal outcomes.6 TREATMENT OF SDB REVERSES LOW FETAL ACTIVITY LEVELS IN PREECLAMPSIA