Abstract Details

Title The effect of epilepsy on sleep quality during pregnancy and postpartum

Topic Epilepsy/Clinical Neurophysiology (EEG)

Presentation(s) Epilepsy/Clinical Neurophysiology (EEG) Posters (7:00 AM-5:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 119

Objective The purpose of this study was to understand how sleep is affected in pregnant women with epilepsy (PWWE) relative to healthy pregnant women (HPW) during pregnancy and postpartum, and relative to non-pregnant women with epilepsy (NPWWE) during comparative time periods.

Background Sleep impacts maternal health and mood during pregnancy. Furthermore, maternal sleep disturbances have negative effects on fetal growth, and are even related to increased fetal death risk. Sleep and epilepsy interact on many levels. Sleep disruption of any kind, including from sleep disorders, can worsen epileptic seizures. Understanding the interplay between epilepsy, pregnancy, and sleep is helpful in optimal treatment.

Design/Methods Sleep quality was queried utilizing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and compared across three groups: PWWE, n=241; HPW, n=74; and NPWWE, n=84. A total of 399 women across 20 American academic medical centers were included. For each woman, the average PSQI score within each time period was used for analysis. Independent T-tests were used to compare other groups to PWWE across pregnancy and postpartum, and paired T-tests were used to compare pregnancy and postpartum within groups.

Results PSQI scores range from 0 to 21 with higher scores indicating worse sleep quality; scores >5 are associated with poor sleep quality. PWWE had the highest mean PSQI score (mean +/- SD = 5.8 +/- 3.0) during pregnancy compared to HPW (4.8 +/- 2.7; p=0.009) or NPWWE (4.3 +/- 2.1; p<0.001). During postpartum, HPW (5.6 +/- 2.8; p=0.701) had similarly impaired sleep compared to PWWE (5.7 +/- 2.7). Conversely, postpartum sleep was significantly better in NPWWE (4.2 +/- 2.6; p<0.001) compared to PWWE. Sleep quality between pregnancy and postpartum within groups varied only in HPW (change in mean score = 0.7 +/- 2.5; p=0.014).

Conclusions PWWE had worse sleep during pregnancy than HPW and NPWWE and during postpartum (6 weeks-9 months post-birth) than NPWWE.

Authors/Disclosures
Sheela Toprani, MD, PhD PRESENTER	Dr. Toprani has nothing to disclose.
Kimford J. Meador, MD, F�鶹��ýӳ�� (Stanford University School of Medicine)	The institution of Dr. Meador has received research support from NIH. The institution of Dr. Meador has received research support from The Epilepsy Consortium.
Chelsea Robalino (Emmes)	No disclosure on file
Kimford J. Meador, MD, F�鶹��ýӳ�� (Stanford University School of Medicine)	The institution of Dr. Meador has received research support from NIH. The institution of Dr. Meador has received research support from The Epilepsy Consortium.
Page B. Pennell, MD, F�鶹��ýӳ�� (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine)	The institution of Dr. Pennell has received research support from NIH.

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