Sleep disordered breathing is associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy as well as severe maternal morbidity, both major causes of maternal mortality. SDB is also associated with obesity and diabetes, considered as major contributors to severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality. These outcomes have also been associated with poor long term maternal cardiovascular and metabolic health, have a tremendous public health impact both perinatally and long term, and are the source of a major cost burden. Treatment of sleep disordered breathing with positive airway pressure in pregnancy has been shown to improve blood pressure after one night of therapy and in randomized controlled trials; however, long term treatment has been complicated by low adherence. This study proposes to perform in depth interviews with young women participants with sleep apnea, pregnant and non-pregnant, to understand the barriers and facilitators to PAP adherence in this population, and focus on pregnancy specific barriers. We also propose to examine differences in barriers and facilitators by race in pregnant women. Women (pregnant and non-pregnant) diagnosed with sleep apnea and initiated on PAP therapy by a clinician will be enrolled to participate in in-depth interviews examining barriers and facilitators common to all PAP users -but that could be impacted by pregnancy physiology-, as well as pregnancy specific barriers. We will perform purposive sampling to enroll PAP- adherent and PAP-nonadherent women, as well as non-adopters of PAP therapy to better understand their various perspectives. We will then examine responses in Black and non-Black women to identify differences by race that may relate to communication, messaging, or cultural differences. PAP adherence will be assessed by downloading data from PAP devices, and interpreting such data in the context of sleep and activity data by using a headband to measure sleep and an actigraphy wrist monitor to measure activity and sleep cycles. This study will enable the development of effective, culturally sensitive counseling strategies to ensure optimal adherence to PAP, an intervention that improves hemodynamic measures in women with preeclampsia as well as glucose metabolism in women with gestational diabetes. In the general population PAP therapy has been shown to hasten clinical recovery in stroke, and improve cardiac function and functional outcomes in patients with heart failure, conditions that are major causes of severe maternal morbidity and mortality.

Public Health Relevance

This study proposes to examine factors that can serve as facilitators or barriers to the use of positive airway pressure in pregnancy. Findings from this study will be fundamental in identifying solutions to poor adherence to positive pressure in pregnancy that will prove to be key in the design and conduct of trials aimed at examining the impact of treatment of sleep disordered breathing on cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes of pregnancy. Data from this study will also serve in the application of such therapy in clinical care in this challenging population and help manage and mitigate causes of severe maternal morbidity and mortality.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01HL130702-04S1
Application #
10198396
Study Section
Program Officer
Laposky, Aaron D
Project Start
2016-08-01
Project End
2021-06-30
Budget Start
2020-09-17
Budget End
2021-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2020
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Miriam Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
063902704
City
Providence
State
RI
Country
United States
Zip Code
02906
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Salameh, Myriam; Lee, Jennifer; Palomaki, Glenn et al. (2018) Snoring and markers of fetal and placental wellbeing. Clin Chim Acta 485:139-143
Bublitz, Margaret H; Monteiro, Joao Filipe; Caraganis, Andrew et al. (2018) Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Gestational Diabetes: A Pilot Study of the Role of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis. J Clin Sleep Med 14:87-93
Bourjeily, Ghada; Danilack, Valery A; Bublitz, Margaret H et al. (2017) Obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal outcomes: a national cohort. Sleep Med 38:50-57
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Bublitz, Margaret; De La Monte, Suzanne; Martin, Susan et al. (2017) Childhood maltreatment and inflammation among pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus: A pilot study. Obstet Med 10:120-124