Cigarette smoke exposure as a potential risk factor for sleep problems in pregnant women

Abstract Cigarette smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke during pregnancy have detrimental effects on the health of expectant mothers, increasing the likelihood of respiratory diseases or infections. Due to the stimulant effect of nicotine, the negative effect on diurnal rhythm and sleep is also observed. Sleep quantity and quality are directly related to health and well-being, especially during times of excess stress, such as the perinatal period. This study aimed to examine the relationship between cigarette smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke during pregnancy and sleep patterns in pregnant women. An online survey was conducted among Polish women, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants reported the use of stimulants during pregnancy and rated sleep in three categories (difficulty falling asleep, waking up too early, and difficulty staying asleep). Data from 3365 mothers aged 18-43 (mean 30.7; SD 3.87) were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. The incidence of sleep problems in pregnant women was shown to be associated with exposure to cigarette smoke (passive smoking), while controlling for a range of individual variables (age, education, place of residence, satisfaction with the woman's life, and economic situation, pregnancy complications, levels of state anxiety and depressive symptoms, trimester of pregnancy, nausea or vomiting during pregnancy, and COVID-19 infections). Interestingly, active smoking was not associated with sleep difficulties. Our results suggest that passive smoking is a potential risk factor for sleeping problems in pregnant women, especially in the aspect of waking up too early. These results are worth considering when formulating pro-health measures for pregnant women and their close ones.