International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

The health of a newborn baby can depend heavily on whether the mother has a sleep disorder, a new study has revealed.

According to new research published in Obstetrics and Gynecology journal, obese women are more likely to see their child admitted to neonatal intensive care after birth if they have obstructive sleep apnea.

Women with the condition were found to be more likely to develop preeclampsia and need to have their baby delivered by caesarean section.

As a result, many of the children experienced respiratory distress and therefore had to be treated by neonatal intensive care specialists.

Researchers are therefore keen to carry out further studies to gather more details on the extent to which obesity and sleep apnea affect maternal and newborn health outcomes.

Dr Judette Louis, lead author of the study, said: "Its role as a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes independent of obesity should be examined more closely."

Posted by Martine Ward