DON'T WAKE MOMMY: Do unborn babies suffer the lasting effects of their mothers’ sleep problems? © ISTOCK.COM/TATYANAGI
There’s an old wives’ tale that the sleep problems that often beset pregnant women naturally prepare the mother for the extreme sleep disruption that arrives with the baby. Part of this appears to be true: sleep issues—whether it’s waking up in the night, being unable to fall asleep, or more serious conditions such as sleep apnea—are indeed common complaints of expectant moms, especially as heartburn, back pain, and frequent trips to the toilet set in. But recent research is challenging the assumption that sleep woes represent an advantageous mechanism to gear up for subsequent sleepless nights.
David Gozal, who studies pediatric sleep disorders at the University of Chicago, says he was inspired to look into the effects of sleep disturbances in expectant women about a ...
