Findings from a collaborative research effort led by Maristella Lucchini, PhD of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, report differences in pregnant individuals’ sleep quality across racial and ethnic groups. Based on the team’s research, pregnant non-Hispanic Black participants slept less and had more sleep disturbances compared with non-Hispanic White participants. Hispanic participants slept longer, had better sleep quality, and experienced fewer sleep disturbances compared with non-Hispanic White participants. This research, titled “Racial/ethnic disparities in subjective sleep duration, sleep quality and sleep disturbances during pregnancy: an ECHO study” is published in Sleep.
The team analyzed data from 2500 pregnant participants in 14 ECHO cohorts nationwide. Information was collected via questionnaire, in which participants reported sleep duration, quality, and disturbances, as well as education level, height, age, and pre-pregnancy weight.
The size of the ECHO cohort created an avenue to investigate and report differences in pregnant individuals’ sleep quality across racial and ethnic groups. “Research shows that pregnant individuals from minority groups are more likely to experience complications during pregnancy, and there is an association between poor sleep and poor maternal health,” said Dr. Lucchini. “We wanted to know if sleep was a factor that contributed to racial and ethnic disparities in overall maternal health.”
Expanding on these findings in future studies may suggest the need for targeted interventions to improve sleep health in pregnancy. Additionally, future studies should explore the factors that contribute to sleep disparities on various levels, including personal, family, neighborhood, and societal.