A new study shows that pregnant women in Ghana were more likely to have stillbirths if they slept on their backs. Compared to low income countries, high income countries (a country where the gross national income per capita is $12,196 or higher) are substantially less likely to have high stillbirth rates. In less developed countries, around 20-50 of 1,00 infants are stillborn. However, just between two and five out of 1,000 babies in high income countries are still born. Louise M. O’Brien, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the Sleep Disorders Center, at the University of Michigan has found that the mother’s sleep position has an effect on stillbirths.
For her study, Dr. O’Brien and her colleagues conducted interviews with women within 48 hours of them giving birth. The surveys were taken at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana. Researchers found that the way a carrying mother slept had a direct influence on whether or not she would have a stillborn birth. O’Brien commented, “In Ghana, inexpensive interventions are urgently needed to improve pregnancy outcomes. Encouraging women to avoid sleeping on their back would be a low-cost method to reduce stillbirths in Ghana and other low-income countries.” Additionally, those women that slept on their backs were found to be at a higher risk for delivering a baby of low birth weight. The cause of this could be due to pressure put on the uterus, which may, in turn, lead to decreased blood flow.
Lastly, Dr. O’Brien spoke of the need for intervention and education, saying, “The data in this study suggests that more than one-quarter of stillbirths might be avoided by altering maternal sleep position.”
Sleep is especially important for expecting mothers and their new babies. Always strive to get the best quality of sleep you can so that can reap the benefits. Always consult a licensed physician with questions regarding your pregnancy!
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