Restless legs syndrome and pregnancy: prevalence, possible pathophysiological mechanisms and treatment.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sleep disorder that may be associated with pregnancy. Studies have found that the prevalence of RLS among pregnant women ranged from 10 to 34%. Typically, there is complete remission of symptoms soon after parturition; however, in some patients, they may continue postpartum. RLS has been shown to be associated with a number of complications in pregnancy including preeclampsia and increased incidence of Cesarean sections. Although multiple hypotheses have been proposed to explain this association, each individual hypothesis cannot completely explain the whole pathogenesis. Present understanding suggests that a strong family history, low serum iron and ferritin level, and high estrogen level during pregnancy might play important roles. Vitamin D deficiency and calcium metabolism may also play a role. Medical treatment of RLS during pregnancy is difficult and challenging considering the risks to mother and fetus. However, in some cases, the disease may be severe enough to require treatment.
Department of Psychiatry and Sleep Clinic, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, India.
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http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2583-563X
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Gupta
Department of Psychiatry and Sleep Clinic, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, India.
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Dhyani
Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Kendzerska
Somnogen Canada Inc, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Pandi-Perumal
Department of Medicine, The University Sleep Disorders Center, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.|Strategic Technologies Program of the National Plan for Sciences, Technology and Innovation Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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BaHammam
Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.|Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Srivanitchapoom
Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, New Delhi, India.
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Pandey
Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Hallett
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy
pregnancy; prevalence; restless legs syndrome; treatment