Insomnia during pregnancy and severe maternal morbidity in the united states: nationally representative data from 2006 to 2017

Sleep. 2022 Oct 10;45(10):zsac175. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsac175.

Abstract

Study objectives: Using a large, nationally representative database, we aimed to estimate the prevalence and trends of insomnia among pregnant women over a 12-year period. In addition, we aimed to examine the interplay among insomnia, maternal comorbidities, and severe maternal morbidity (SMM).

Methods: We conducted a serial cross-sectional analysis of pregnancy-related hospitalizations in the United States from the 2006 to 2017 National Inpatient Sample (NIS). ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes were used to capture diagnoses of insomnia and obstetric comorbidities during delivery and non-delivery hospitalizations. The primary outcome was the diagnosis of SMM at delivery. We used logistic regression to assess the association between insomnia and SMM. Joinpoint regression was used to estimate trends in insomnia and SMM.

Results: Of nearly 47 million delivery hospitalizations, 24 625 women had a diagnosis of insomnia, or 5.2 per 10 000 deliveries. The annual incidence increased from 1.8 to 8.6 per 10 000 over the study period. The crude rate of insomnia was 6.3 times higher for non-delivery hospitalizations. Patients with insomnia had more comorbidities, particularly neuromuscular disease, mental health disorders, asthma, and substance use disorder. Prevalence of non-blood transfusion SMM was 3.6 times higher for patients with insomnia (2.4% vs. 0.7%). SMM increased annually by 11% (95% CI = 3.0% to 19.7%) in patients with insomnia. After adjusting for comorbidities, there remained a 24% increased likelihood of SMM for patients with insomnia.

Conclusions: Coded diagnosis of insomnia during pregnancy has increased over time, and this burden disparately affects women of low socioeconomic status. Diagnosis of insomnia is an independent predictor of SMM.

Keywords: insomnia; pregnancy; severe maternal morbidity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Comorbidity
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Morbidity
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications* / epidemiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders* / epidemiology
  • United States / epidemiology