Oh Baby! The Dangers of OSA During Pregnancy

When you’re pregnant, your body can experience many changes, both big and small. From weird cravings to stretch marks and hair loss, your body may look and feel a little different than you’re used to. 

Another change that some may experience is obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. OSA is a sleep disorder that occurs when your airway becomes obstructed during sleep, causing you to stop and restart breathing hundreds of times a night. This in turn diminishes your quality of sleep, leaving you feeling tired and sluggish throughout the day, even if you slept for a full eight hours.

Worse yet, OSA can pose many risks to you and your unborn baby. Here’s what you need to know about the dangers of sleep apnea during pregnancy.

What Causes OSA?

OSA can be caused by many things. In fact, it’s the most common type of sleep apnea, affecting approximately 30 million Americans each year. But it tends to be more common in men over the age of 50 and in those who are overweight or obese.  This is because when you carry excess weight you could have added pressure on your airway because your neck is larger, and the wider your neck circumference, the higher your OSA risk will be. It can also be caused by genetics, smoking, and even pregnancy, especially if you were already overweight before.

The Dangers of OSA in Pregnancy

OSA has many dangers associated with it, including cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, and the worsening of multiple serious comorbid conditions, including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, and even some cancers.

When you are pregnant with OSA, however, the dangers are even greater. They include an increased risk of:

• Gestational hypertension
• Gestational diabetes
• Unplanned C-section
• Prolonged labor
• Preeclampsia
• Obesity hypoventilation syndrome, a condition which causes you to have too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen in your blood

The Dangers of OSA to Unborn Babies

In addition to the risks OSA could cause you, it can also harm your unborn baby. Some of these dangers include:

• Low oxygen levels
• Acidosis (high levels of acid in the body)
• Fetal growth restriction that causes your baby to be smaller than their gestational age
• Preterm birth

Furthermore, while more studies are needed, some have shown that children who were born to mothers with OSA during pregnancy have lower social development scores, and yet another found that children exposed to OSA in utero had shorter DNA telomeres which has been associated with age-related illnesses in adults.

Treating OSA During Pregnancy

If you find yourself feeling constantly tired throughout the day, waking frequently throughout the night, snoring, waking with a dry throat, or are excessively irritable, you could be suffering from OSA.

Though there is no cure for OSA, many cases of pregnancy related OSA resolve themselves after the end of the pregnancy. However, to protect both yourself and your unborn child, it is important that you treat your OSA as soon as possible. Your sleep dentist can assist you with the help of oral appliance therapy (OAT). OAT uses a custom-fitted sleep appliance that positions your jaw in such a way that your airway is propped open during sleep, allowing you to breathe properly, sleep soundly, and maintain healthy blood oxygen levels.

Don’t deprive yourself and your baby of the health benefits of proper sleep. To learn more about how OAT can help you, please contact your sleep dentist today!

About Dr. Jariwala

Dr. Kinnari Jariwala has a keen interest in TMJ and sleep medicine, having experienced TMJ therapy herself growing up. In addition to expanding her knowledge with numerous continuing education classes to help patients live pain-free, she is a member of multiple professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, the New Mexico Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, and the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine.

To schedule an appointment at the Center for Dental Sleep Medicine and TMJ of New Mexico to treat your OSA, please visit our website or call 505-433-2107 today.