Pregnancy Snoring: What to Expect When You Are Expecting

Pregnancy can be a time of great excitement and joy for women. On the flip side, it may be a time of complete and total exhaustion. Sleeping for two is a lot of work!

It is normal for women to begin snoring during pregnancy, specifically during the third trimester. A recent study found that 1 in 3 women report snoring during pregnancy. The vast majority of those women had never snored before. Why? Most pregnant women snore due to nasal congestion. Increased swelling in their nasal passages can block airways. Snoring also may result from the increase in abdominal girth and the uterus pressing on the diaphragm. Snoring Could Affect Your Baby’s Health New studies show that healthy sleep is crucial for fetal development and that even small disruptions to sleep, particularly snoring, is connected to health issues later on in pregnancy and birth.

• Gestational hypertension
• Higher likelihood of delivery via Cesarean
• High or elevated blood pressure
• Hypertension Intrauterine growth restriction
• Longer labor
• Low birth weight
• Preeclampsia
• Snoring reduces the flow of oxygen to the lungs

If an expecting mom isn’t getting the oxygen she needs, she may limit the oxygen her baby needs to grow and develop. She also is less likely to get the restorative sleep that is pivotal for her and her baby’s health.

Snoring may be an indicator of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). If you are pregnant and already have a diagnosis of OSA, using a CPAP machine is a proven therapy. One study shows that pregnant women using CPAP therapy saw the average number of fetal movements per night increase from 319 to 592. For minor OSA and snoring, ZQuiet offers products to help open the airway and increase oxygen. ZQuiet offers low profile designs that naturally open your airway immediately.

• The ZQuiet 2-Size Starter Pack includes two mouthpieces that move the lower jaw forward in small increments to open the airway, improve oxygen flow, and reduce or eliminate snoring.
• The ZQuiet Breathe is a nasal dilator that instantly increases airflow by 58% to help quiet snoring noise. People use it during sleep (and also during exercise) to ensure they are maximizing their blood oxygen levels for themself and their baby.
• For open-mouth snoring, a chin strap can help stabilize the lower jaw and enhance nasal breathing to reduce snoring.

Both mother and baby need a lot of oxygen, and pregnancy can make that difficult. Ensuring proper airflow during sleep is essential during pregnancy, and simple solutions are available.