Women with persistent short sleep during pregnancy are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome compared to those who had good sleep.

A new study from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago has found that disrupted sleep for two to seven years after delivery was also associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome.

A total of 3,922 women who had their first pregnancy between October 2010 and September 2013 took part in the study.

In the trial, persistent short sleep is classified as less than seven hours.

The results have revealed that non-Hispanic Black and unmarried participants were more likely to experience persistent short sleep during pregnancy compared to non-Hispanic White and married participants.

According to the findings, higher odds of incident metabolic syndrome were associated with persistent short sleep.

The authors said: “These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions aimed at improving sleep health among populations at increased risk to mitigate adverse health outcomes and to promote health equity.”

Read the study in JAMA Network Open.

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