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Clinical Obstetrics

Poster Session 2

(454) Association of Restless Legs Syndrome with Adverse Perinatal Outcomes

Tuesday, February 13, 2024
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM  
Location: Prince George's Exhibit Hall CDE, Lower Atrium Level
Objective:

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is categorized as an urge to move the legs, usually accompanied by an uncomfortable and unpleasant sensation. Pregnant individuals are two to three times more likely to experience RLS than non-pregnant individuals, but its association with perinatal outcomes is not well known. We aimed to assess the association of RLS with maternal and neonatal outcomes in a large, diverse cohort of nulliparous individuals.

Study Design: In this secondary analysis of data from an observational cohort of nulliparous individuals conducted at eight US medical centers from 2010-2013, those with self-reported sleep data were included. RLS symptoms were evaluated in early (6-13 weeks’) and mid pregnancy (22-29 weeks’) via a questionnaire adapted from the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. The outcomes of interest included hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), gestational diabetes (GDM), preterm birth (PTB), and small-for-gestational-age birth < 10%ile (SGA). For each time point, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed adjusting for maternal age, race/ethnicity as a social construct, insurance status, high risk for sleep disordered breathing, body mass index, and smoking.

Results: Of 7,294 and 8,061 participants who completed sleep questionnaires in early and mid pregnancy, 15.7% and 25.9% had RLS symptoms respectively. Individuals with early pregnancy RLS were more likely to be non-Hispanic White, a current smoker, and at high risk for sleep-disordered breathing. RLS in early pregnancy was associated with HDP after adjustment for key confounders (aOR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01-1.36), but was not associated with GDM, PTB, or SGA (Table). RLS in mid pregnancy was not associated with any outcomes of interest.

Conclusion:

In this cohort of nulliparous individuals, RLS symptoms in early pregnancy were associated with a modestly increased risk for HDP, indicating a potential area for future research regarding the prediction and prevention of HDP.