A new study reveals: a link between lack of sleep and brain damage in the fetus

Another evidence of the importance of sleep during pregnancy: A new study published in the “Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and AMetabolism” reveals that pregnant women who do not get enough sleep may be at a higher risk of giving birth to children with neurodevelopmental delays. The study, conducted by a team of researchers led by Dr. Feng Zhu from Anhui Medical University in China, focused on mothers who slept less than seven hours a night during pregnancy, and examined the effect of sleep on the development of the nervous system of the babies, especially in boys.

The study included a group of 300 pregnant women, who were divided into two groups according to the duration of their sleep. One group included women who slept less than seven hours a night, while the other group included women who slept seven hours or more. The researchers examined the relationship between the duration of sleep and the levels of C-peptide in the umbilical cord blood of the babies, which is a byproduct of insulin production. High levels of C-peptide indicate increased insulin activity, which was previously linked to risks in the development of the nervous system.

The results showed that in women who slept less than seven hours a night, babies showed higher levels of C-peptide in umbilical cord blood, which increased the risk of neurodevelopmental delays. The researchers found that 25% of the babies in this group suffered from delays in emotional, behavioral, motor, cognitive or language development, compared to 15% of the babies born to mothers who slept more than seven hours a night. It was also found that the effect was more pronounced in male babies, where the rate of delays was 35% higher compared to babies born to mothers in the adequate sleep group.

The study further indicated that the short duration of sleep during pregnancy may affect the glucose metabolism in the mother’s body, and lead to problems such as poor glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and gestational diabetes. Each of these problems can directly affect the development of the baby’s nervous system, since glucose metabolism is a critical component of fetal growth and development.

The researchers emphasized that although the study shows a clear link between lack of sleep and the risk of delays in fetal development, there is no unequivocal proof that the short sleep is the direct cause of these delays. They stated that more research is needed to understand the exact mechanisms that lead to these effects, but there is no doubt that the findings add to the complex picture of factors that affect the health of the fetus during pregnancy.

In addition to the current study, previous findings have linked the quality of the mother’s sleep during pregnancy to additional health risks, such as an increased risk of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and difficulties during childbirth. All of these may increase the risk of long-term health problems in both the mother and the baby.

The current study emphasizes the importance of adequate sleep during pregnancy, not only to maintain the health of the mother, but also to ensure the normal and healthy development of the fetus. The researchers recommend that pregnant women aim for seven to eight hours of sleep a night and seek medical advice in cases of persistent sleep difficulties, in order to ensure their health and the health of their babies.

“Maintaining a woman’s health throughout pregnancy and in fact before it has a great impact on the fetus” explains Prof. Tal Biron, Director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Meir Medical Center and Chairman of the Society for Maternal and Fetal Medicine, “Sufficient sleep is part of health and has a positive effect on metabolism, blood pressure , cognition and mental health. A normal metabolic balance also has a positive effect on what passes to the blood of the fetus through the placenta and affects the health of the fetus throughout pregnancy and for the rest of its life. Pregnancy and childbirth are part of life and maintaining a healthy lifestyle has a positive effect on both the mother and her fetus.”