Quality of Sleep and Mental Health Among Pregnant Women: A Cross-sectional Study

Sleep disorders are common during pregnancy and can lead to other problems before, during, and after delivery.

The study was conducted to compare anxiety and depression among pregnant women with and without sleep disorders

This cross-sectional study was performed on pregnant women referring to the health care centers in Babol, Iran (2018 - 2019). Women with singleton pregnancies, who met the study criteria, were chosen from selected health centers and entered the study through the convenience sampling method. Data were collected using Questionnaires. The participants answered four questionnaires, including Demographic, Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaires. The data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 22, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The average ages of participants were 26.40 ± 4.76 years. The present study showed a statistically significant correlation between the score of depression and sleep quality (r = 0.11, P = 0.008). In women with poor quality of sleep, the mean of trait anxiety was significantly higher than in women with good quality of sleep (P = 0.016). There was a significant association between depression scores and sleep quality subscales. Logistic regression demonstrated that people with high anxiety levels were 2.3 times more likely to have sleep problems than those with low anxiety levels.

Sleep quality is correlated with anxiety and depression. Health professionals should be aware that women with poor sleep quality may develop mental health problems. Therefore, screening for mental health and referring them to a clinical psychologist may help their sleep quality. To investigate the causal relationship between the study variables, it is necessary to conduct an extensive cohort study that starts before the pregnancy.