Maternal Sleep, Sleep Medication Use, And Birth Outcomes: A Pilot Study Of The Pregnancy, Environment, And Child Health (peach) Cohort

Author

• Samantha LydellFollow

Date of Award

January 2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Zeyan Liew

Abstract

Pregnancy is often a period of poor sleep quality. Previous research has linked reduced sleep quality and difficulty sleeping during pregnancy to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. However, little is known about how sleep medication use may influence these associations. This pilot study examines the relationships between poor sleep, sleep medication use, and birth outcomes in the Pregnancy, Environment, and Child Health (PEACH) cohort. This study included 136 participants from the PEACH cohort linked to Yale New Haven Health delivery records. Poor sleep and sleep medication use were self-reported. Outcomes were gestational age at birth (days) and birth weight (grams). Linear regression models were conducted and adjusted for maternal age, race/ethnicity, education, pre-pregnancy BMI, and parity. Interaction terms assessed effect modification by sleep medication use. Poor sleep was common (52%) and more prevalent among medication users. In adjusted models, poor sleep and sleep medication use were not significantly associated with gestational age or birth weight, though effect estimates pointed towards less optimal birth outcomes. A significant interaction was observed between sleep medication use and poor sleep for gestational age, suggesting potential effect modification. Poor sleep is highly prevalent during pregnancy but was not independently associated with a change in gestational age at birth or birth weight in this sample. Sleep medication use may modify the relationship between poor sleep and gestational outcomes, potentially attenuating adverse effects. These findings highlight the importance of considering both sleep quality and treatment status in perinatal research and support further investigation in larger, more diverse populations.

Comments

This is an Open Access Thesis.

Recommended Citation

Lydell, Samantha, "Maternal Sleep, Sleep Medication Use, And Birth Outcomes: A Pilot Study Of The Pregnancy, Environment, And Child Health (peach) Cohort" (2026). Public Health Theses. 2626.
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysphtdl/2626