Preeclampsia is a serious condition where blood pressure goes up during pregnancy, with a higher chance of complications for both the mother and the baby if not treated appropriately. I’ve written in the past about using CPAP for this medical condition. 

 

In a study published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, a large multi-center study revealed that inducing labor at 37 weeks resulted in a significantly lower rate of complications as opposed to conservative management and having women deliver at full term. Thirty one percent of women who were induced had complications, whereas 41% of women who did not have early induction had complications. This makes sense, since the longer you wait, the higher the chance of complications. 

 

This study would have been much more interesting if they had a third arm where they had the women undergo sleep studies and treat the underlying sleep-breathing disorder instead. We know that untreated obstructive sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure and diabetes. It’s only natural that as one gains weight during pregnancy, sleep-breathing problems may surface later in pregnancy.

 

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