Children’s Sleep May Depend on Maternal Sleep Duration During Pregnancy: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Jiajun Lyu, 1,* Xiuxia Ye, 2,* Yiting Chen, 1 Yuanqing Xia, 1 Jianzhen Zhu, 3 Shilu Tong, 1, 2, 4 Yong Yin, 2 Jiajie Qu, 5 Shenghui Li 1, 6 1School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; 5Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 6MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children’s Environmental Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Shenghui LiSchool of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 227 South Chongqing Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200025, People’s Republic of ChinaTel [phone]Email [email protected] QuShanghai Municipal Education Commission, 100 Dagu Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200003, People’s Republic of ChinaTel [phone]Email [email protected]: Animal studies suggested that maternal sleep during pregnancy was associated with sleep pattern in offspring; however, it has not been clear in human populations.Aim: Our study discusses the relationships of maternal sleep duration with sleep characteristics in their offspring through an epidemiological study.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study including 6236 mother–child dyads was conducted in 31 preschools in May 2019, in Shanghai, China. Information regarding maternal sleep duration in three trimesters of pregnancy was collected retrospectively. Children’s current sleep characteristics were evaluated through the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Linear regressions and logistic regression models were applied to estimate β and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).Results: Maternal sleep duration was positively associated with childhood sleep duration, which was shown in the first (β=0.113), second (β=0.131), and third trimesters (β=0.088). Meanwhile, insufficient maternal sleep duration could increase the risk of children’s short sleep duration (first trimester: AOR=1.25; second trimester: AOR=1.33; third trimester: AOR=1.33). Maternal sleep duration was also associated with childhood CSHQ score: β=− 0.308, − 0.392, and − 0.300 for the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. Similarly, insufficient maternal sleep duration could predict childhood sleep disturbance as AOR=1.28 in the second trimester and AOR=1.26 in the third trimester.Conclusion: Our findings established a relationship between maternal sleep during pregnancy and their children’s sleep pattern through a population-based epidemiology study. Poor childhood sleep was found when their mother experienced less sleep duration during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters.Keywords: Children’s Sleep Habit Questionnaire, pregnant women, preschooler, sleep duration

Keywords

• children’s sleep habit questionnaire
• pregnant women
• pre-schooler
• sleep duration