Do Women Experience Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) During pregnancy?
The other major sleep disorder that can occur during pregnancy is restless legs syndrome (RLS) and leg cramp. About 15-25 percent of women develop RLS during pregnancy in association with iron deficiency, and women with low folate levels are also at risk. Although RLS will resolve after delivery, it is an additional stressor during pregnancy and can disrupt sleep, so make sure that you have adequate iron and vitamin B12 levels in your blood before and during pregnancy. How Does Sleep Change After Delivery? About 35-80 percent of women experience baby blue 3 to 5 days after delivery. The blues generally dont last longer that about 2 weeks, but 20 percent of women develop postnatal depression. Postnatal depression can occur any time within 6 months of delivery and like any mood disorder, it can result in severe sleep disruption. Sleep Patterns During Pregnancy Sleep patterns change throughout pregnancy, largely as a result of the enormous physical changes that take place as the fetus gro