Side-sleeping in late pregnancy

Professor Lesley McCowan discusses the impact of maternal sleep position on late stillbirth risk and how the public health message of side sleeping is best in late pregnancy.

Topics

How common is stillbirth in NZ?
Risk factors for stillbirth
Adverse maternal factors
Additional stressors
Left or right side?
What if she wakes on her back?
Is side sleeping applicable for all sleeps?

Take home messages

Look for women with risk factors at any contact with the primary care team
Make referrals early and help modify risk factors early in the pregnancy
Promote safe sleeping from 28 weeks on
Side sleeping is safest and will significantly reduce the risk of stillbirth
Settle on the side at every sleep - day or night

Resources

An Individual Participant Data Meta-analysis of Maternal Going-to-Sleep Position Interactions with Fetal Vulnerability, and the Risk of Late Stillbirth EClinicalMedicine (2019)
Going to Sleep in the Supine Position Is a Modifiable Risk Factor for Late Pregnancy Stillbirth; Findings From the New Zealand Multicentre Stillbirth Case-Control Study PLoS One (2017)
Maternal Supine Going to Sleep Position and Late Stillbirth Risk Cure Kids
Pregnancy and Sleep Sleep Health Foundation

Presenter

Professor Lesley McCowan

Specialist in maternal fetal medicine

Lesley is a sub-specialist in Maternal Fetal Medicine who became Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at University of Auckland in 2009. In 2011 she received a New Year’s Honour (Officer of New Zealand Order of Merit) for services to health. Her clinical work is in high risk pregnancy especially preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. A key research interest is the epidemiology of stillbirth, in particular the role of maternal sleep practices. She is the lead investigator in a multicentre New Zealand case control study which aims to identify modifiable risk factors for late (>28 weeks’) stillbirth. The long term goal of this research program is to develop preventative strategies for late stillbirth.

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