Sleeping On Your Side In The Last Trimester Of Pregnancy Could Reduce The Risk Of Stillbirth

When sleeping on your back, the weight of the baby, added to that of the mother’s uterus, can put pressure on the blood vessels and make it difficult to I pass both blood and oxygen to the fetus.

Pregnancy is not usually a time when women get a good night’s sleep. The growing belly and the continuous need to urinate become an impediment to being able to sleep without interruptions. However, many try to adopt the most comfortable position possible, such as sleeping on the side. So, at least this will not be a major problem.

The point is that, apparently, during the last trimester of pregnancy it is not advisable to sleep on your back. This could pose serious risks to the fetus.

This is what an investigation carried out in England and published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology affirms  . According to this study, sleeping on your back at this stage of pregnancy can double the risk of stillbirth.

Contrary to this, the researchers found that mothers who sleep on their sides have a lower risk of suffering this fatal outcome.

Study: sleeping on your side may reduce the risk of stillbirth

In this study we are talking about, data was collected from about 1000 women in their last trimester of pregnancy. The authors of the MiNess study concluded that the side position at bedtime is safer for the baby.

In detail, experts suggest that sleeping on your side from the 27th week of pregnancy  decreases stillbirths by 3.7%. Additionally, sleeping on the back after week 28 could increase the risk of late fetal death by up to 2.3 times. In this sense, these mothers would be subject to more risks compared to those who sleep on one of their sides.

This research has become the most extensive in this field in recent decades. Additionally, it  confirms the findings of other smaller studies. These were previously held in New Zealand and Australia, according to data from the BBC network.

This same medium compiles that in the United Kingdom, where this investigation was carried out , one in 225 pregnancies end in fetal death.

Why is the risk increased when sleeping on your back?

So far there is no conclusive reason to explain the relationship between sleeping on the back and the increased risk of death for the fetus. However, one of the hypotheses suggests that when a woman is on her back, the weight of the baby, combined with that of the uterus, puts pressure on the blood vessels, which could restrict circulation and oxygen for the baby.

However, the reason has not been confirmed and requires further study. However, as a preventive measure, researchers recommend controlling the position when sleeping during the last trimester of pregnancy, as well as if it is done on the right or left side. In fact, to achieve this, tricks can be used, such as putting a pillow on the back to avoid rolling over.

Should I be concerned if I wake up on my roof and not on my side? Is my baby in danger?

The experts clarified that pregnant women do not have to be worried if they wake up on their back. The most important thing in these cases is the position in which they fall asleep, since it is in which they usually remain for the longest time.

Alexander Heazell, clinical director of the Tommy’s Stillbirth Research Center at St Mary’s Hospital (Manchester), was also the director of the UK-focused research. This specialist also recommends that women at this stage of pregnancy try to sleep on their side. Also, they should do it for any sleep episode, even during daytime naps.

In this regard, it states the following:

In this sense, the publication of the study and the researcher’s recommendations coincide with the launch of the Sleep On Side campaign. It has been run by the Tommy’s charity .

The aim of this campaign is to educate expectant mothers about the possible risks of falling asleep on their back in the last months of pregnancy. Thus, the organization compiled some tips and tricks for women who have difficulty falling asleep on their side.

In short, the best thing to do during the last months of pregnancy is to sleep on your side to avoid causing harm to the fetus as much as possible. However, you should not worry if at some point the pregnant woman wakes up on her back.

However, when in doubt, it is always advisable to consult a specialist. He will know what to advise each woman depending on her case.