Sleep apnea is a dangerous condition. More people understand the relationship between quality sleep and good health with recent advancements in research. Know we are learning about the dangers of sleep apnea during pregnancy. Considering sleep apnea is worsened by excess weight, staying fit during pregnancy is important.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea causes a person to feel tired throughout the day because they never receive quality sleep at night. With difficulty breathing while sleeping, they can have oxygen deprivation and continuously wake themselves up through the night trying to catch their breath. Much of this happens without the person even realizing it. Most people discover they have sleep apnea during a sleep study that monitors breathing activity.

Those who suffer from sleep apnea can have trouble focusing on tasks, feel moody or have emotional issues, and are at increased risk for a variety of health problems like cardiovascular issues. For pregnant women, sleep apnea not only affects them but can also affect the fetus.

If both the mother and the baby don’t receive enough oxygen, the baby might not develop properly and there could be complications after birth. This is because many of the nutrients can’t get delivered to the baby without adequate oxygen. Children from these pregnancies have more risk of being obese, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and additional health problems. Issues during the pregnancy can go on to affect the child for a lifetime.

Fortunately, sleep apnea treatment is simple during pregnancy. If you suspect that you might have sleep apnea, if you are feeling tired, sluggish, or irritable during the day, a sleep study may be the next step. Sometimes sleeping partners are the first to make you aware of sleeping issues. If you have been told you snore loudly or sound like you stop breathing in the night, you should see a qualified ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor.