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

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 smoking, 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 prospective 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 from May 2020 to September 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants reported smoking 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. Passive smoking was associated with one of the three variables used to assess sleep problems (waking up too early) 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, results showed no evidence of an association between active smoking and sleep difficulties. Our findings 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.