Changing hormones, a growing baby, and discomfort often make it difficult for a pregnant woman to sleep. At some point during pregnancy, most women deal with insomnia.
That can lead to serious health complications, including anxiety and depression.
“Being depressed during pregnancy is not healthy for either the mom or the baby,” said Dr. Jennifer Payne, a psychiatrist at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
Cleveland Clinic says 25% of women lose sleep during the first trimester. By the end of the pregnancy, 80% find it difficult to sleep.
New research shows treating insomnia during pregnancy could help both mom and baby later.
Doctors say for pregnant women struggling to sleep, there are treatments that don’t involve taking a medication.
“A lot of different types of therapies can be helpful and have been shown to be helpful,” said Payne.
The University of British Columbia says “cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia” is the “gold standard” of treatment. It involves a series of several sessions with a mental health professional to identify thoughts, behaviors, and patterns affecting sleep.
Therapy techniques involve stimulus control, sleep restrictions, and relaxation training. When the therapy is completed during pregnancy, the Canadian study found it also significantly reduces the risk of postpartum depression once the baby is born.
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“If we can identify who is at risk before the postpartum time period, then we can intervene immediately,” explained Payne.
She says women who are having twins, are younger than 25, or having their first baby may be at a higher risk of developing postpartum depression. She also says the risk is increased for women over 40 who are having twins.
The National Institutes of Health says postpartum depression affects about one in seven women within the first year following childbirth.