Sleep Apnea Seen in Pregnant Women With Gestational Diabetes

Pregnant women with gestational diabetes may have an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea, a small new study suggests. Gestational diabetes typically develops during the second trimester of pregnancy and occurs in roughly four to eight of every 100 pregnant women in the United States. Sleep apnea causes brief interruptions in breathing during sleep. Left untreated, sleep apnea increases the risk for stroke, cardiovascular disease and heart attack, according to background information in the study to be published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. "It is common for pregnant women to experience sleep disruptions, but the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea increases substantially in women who have gestational diabetes," study author Dr. Sirimon Reutrakul, who conducted the research at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said in a journal news release. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_140028.html