(12-11-12) New study finds snoring during pregnancy ups risk for high blood pressure

by Craig Stellpflug

(NaturalNews) Every year, thousands of women and their babies get sick and
some die from a dangerous condition called preeclampsia, a life-threatening
disorder during pregnancy and the postpartum period. "Hypertensive disorders of
pregnancy are a leading global cause of maternal and infant deaths and cost
billions of dollars annually to treat," says Louise O'Brien, Ph.D., associate
professor in University of Michigan's Sleep Disorders Center.

Symptoms of preeclampsia
Preeclampsia doesn't always come with outward recognizable symptoms and close
monitoring of blood pressure and normal pregnancy weight gain are especially
important throughout the pregnancy. Blood pressure gains of over 15 points over
normal and/or pregnancy weight gain of more than two pounds a week are markers
of preeclampsia beginnings.

Preeclampsia symptoms are hypertension, proteinuria, edema (swelling), sudden
weight gain, nausea or vomiting, abdominal and/or shoulder pain, lower back
pain, headaches, changes in vision, hyperreflexia, racing pulse, mental
confusion, heightened sense of anxiety, shortness of breath or chest pain,
sense of impending doom.

The latest study
According to new research from the University of Michigan, women who begin
snoring during pregnancy are at strong risk for high blood pressure and
preeclampsia. The study published September 25, with more than 1,700
participants, is the first study to demonstrate that pregnancy-onset snoring
carries a significant risk to maternal cardiovascular health. About 25 percent
of the study's participants started snoring frequently during pregnancy to
double their risk for high blood pressure as compared to non-snoring
participants. Habitual snoring is a hallmark symptom of sleep-disordered
breathing and was defined as snoring three to four nights a week.

This research, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
found pregnancy-onset snoring to be linked to gestational hypertension and
preeclampsia. "We found that frequent snoring was playing a role in high blood
pressure problems, even after we had accounted for other known risk factors,"
says lead researcher O'Brien. "And we already know that high blood pressure in
pregnancy, particularly preeclampsia, is associated with smaller babies, higher
risks of pre-term birth or babies ending up in the ICU."

Preeclampsia was once called the disease of theories
O'Brien states: "By asking pregnant women about snoring, especially in those
with high blood pressure already, obstetric healthcare providers could identify
women at high risk for sleep-disordered breathing and intervene during the
pregnancy. This could result in better outcomes for mother and baby." O'Brien
also stated that these results suggest that up to 19 percent of hypertensive
disorders during pregnancy might be mitigated through treatment of any
underlying sleep-disordered breathing. It is possible that use of Constant
Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) may decrease high blood pressure in pregnant
women, and O'Brien has such a study currently underway to test this hypothesis.

What you can do
Naturopathic prenatal care is vital to a healthy pregnancy. Weighing, checking
blood pressure and testing urine for protein are major keys to early detection
of preeclampsia and these tests should all take place at every prenatal visit.
Speak up immediately if any of these tests are omitted.

A high quality prenatal vitamin and a nutrient-rich diet are basics to a
healthy pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins should have a full spectrum of vitamins
and minerals. Avoid any prenatal vitamin with cyanocobalamin B12 and opt rather
for methylcobalamin B12. Eliminate any and all processed foods, refined sugars
and caffeine. Eliminating alcohol and over the counter medications is also
essential.

Cut out gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye grains that
can actually cause preeclampsia. For some pregnant women with preeclampsia,
cutting out gluten solves the problem.

Stay active and enjoy the events surrounding your pregnancy and childbirth
experience! Make your life as stress-free as possible.

Sources for this article:

http://www.preeclampsia.org/health-information/signs-and-symptoms
http://www.uofmhealth.org
http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/topic/55927-pre-eclampsia-celiac/
Pregnancy-onset habitual snoring, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia:
prospective cohort study. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2012;
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2012.08.034

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