Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology University of Calabar

2 Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. University of Calabar Nigeria

3 Department of Paediatrics University of Calabar Nigeria

4 Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Nocturnal awakening which potentially impairs the quality of sleep as pregnancy progresses, may result from certain night-time habits, as well as a physiological increase in the frequency of micturition, sleep apnoea, and restless leg syndrome. Resultant poor quality of sleep may have adverse fetomaternal outcomes. This study was aimed at assessing sleep quality using validated tools among pregnant women seen in a referral teaching hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among consenting antenatal care attendees, selected via systematic random sampling technique. Interviewer-administration of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used, Data was analysed using SPSS version 24.0, with Chi-square, Fisher’s Exact and independent t-tests employed as an inferential statistic, and p-value set at 0.05. Result: The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 37.1%, with a mean PSQI score of 4.55 ± 1.54, The most affected sleep component with poor status was sleep disturbance (44.8%), followed by sleep latency (20.0%) and sleep duration (17.6%). Poor sleep quality was associated with each of the seven sleep components, grand multiparity, and perceived poor health status (p<0.05). Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of poor sleep quality among expectant mothers in the study location. Sleep hygiene should be incorporated into routine and follow-up ANC clinic visits, towards prevention of adverse fetomaternal outcomes.

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