Obstructive sleep apnea in pregnant women

The prevalence of OSA in the low-risk obstetric population is thought to be low; best estimates have been extrapolated from the one available large prospective study and likely range between 3–8%.(1) OSA prevalence in high-risk pregnant women such as those with obesity and chronic hypertension is significantly higher as extrapolated from several smaller prospective studies which have reported a prevalence as high as 37% in obese women.(2–6) Despite the high prevalence of OSA in high-risk pregnant women, it remains underdiagnosed due to several factors. An emerging body of literature suggests that OSA may also have serious implications for the health of mothers and fetuses during and beyond pregnancy, but there is still no data to determine if OSA treatment mitigates these adverse outcomes. In this review, we will examine this body of literature from the perspective of the anesthesiologist: the association between pregnancy and the development or worsening of OSA; OSA as it relates to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes; antepartum and screening considerations for OSA in pregnant women; and recommendations regarding the peripartum management of OSA.