Investigating the effect of sleep hygiene methods on improving sleep quality in pregnant women with insomnia in the first trimester: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Abstract

Pregnancy is a special condition that can affect the sleep pattern. Approximately, 60% of pregnant women complain of abnormal sleep patterns. Sleep disorder and its low quality have physical and psychological consequences on pregnancy. In this study, effect of sleep hygiene methods on improving quality of sleep in pregnant women suffering from insomnia in the first trimester was investigated. Materials and Methods: In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 300 pregnant women in the first trimester referred to the clinics of women's hospitals (Al-Zahra and Taleghani) Tabriz city were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria; 106 of them (aged 18-40 years old) that diagnosed with insomnia by Pittsburgh test were selected for further study. The purpose of the study was explained to them, after obtaining their consent, a written informed consent was obtained from them, and a demographic-obstetric questionnaire, the Pittsburgh questionnaire, was obtained. The participants were divided into two intervention and control groups(53 people in each group) using the random block method with the size of blocks of four and six and with the allocation sequence of 1:1. In the sleep hygiene intervention group, after coordination with the participants, a face-to-face meeting was held by the researcher in the centers coordinated with the participants, which was a 60-minute session in which sleep hygiene matters were fully explained and taught. Every week after the training until the end of three weeks, the patients were followed up by the researcher by phone. The control group received routine pregnancy care Finally, the participants were invited 3 weeks later to go to the respective centers to complete the Pittsburgh questionnaire. The required information was collected by Pittsburgh test questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed using statistical software. Results: The results obtained from Pittsburgh scores indicated a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of subjective quality of sleep, delay in falling asleep, length of sleep, sleep efficiency, morning dysfunction and overall PSQI score. While no significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups in terms of sleep disorders and sleeping pills.