Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) In Pregnancy

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is defined as episodes of complete (apnea) or partial collapse (hypopnea) of the upper airway, which leads to decreased oxygen saturation, causing arousal from or disturbance of sleep, resulting in fragmented, nonrestorative sleep.OSA has become a prevalent condition in pregnancy, given the rise in obesity.The incidence in pregnancy ranges from 3.6 to 27%, with a rising prevalence in obese pregnant women.A chronic state of hypoxia can be detrimental for both the mother and the fetus, leading to various complications like gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, fetal growth restriction and preterm birth.Pregnancy-related hormonal, structural and inflammatory changes contribute to the development of gestational OSA and worsening of chronic OSA.Screening questionnaires and sleep studies can help diagnose it.A multidisciplinary strategic team involving a sleep medicine specialist, obstetrician, anaesthesiologist, otorhinolaryngologist, and an internal medicine expert, is ideally required for the management of OSA in pregnancy.General measures and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy are effective treatment measures.