# Predictors of de novo development of obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy

> **NIH NIH R01** · MIRIAM HOSPITAL · 2020 · $218,044

## Abstract

Summary
Sleep disordered breathing is associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy as well as
severe maternal morbidity, both major causes of maternal mortality. SDB is also associated
with obesity and diabetes, considered as major contributors to severe maternal morbidity and
maternal mortality. These outcomes have also been associated with poor long term maternal
cardiovascular and metabolic health, have a tremendous public health impact both perinatally
and long term, and are the source of a major cost burden. Treatment of sleep disordered
breathing with positive airway pressure in pregnancy has been shown to improve blood pressure
after one night of therapy and in randomized controlled trials; however, long term treatment has
been complicated by low adherence. This study proposes to perform in depth interviews with
young women participants with sleep apnea, pregnant and non-pregnant, to understand the
barriers and facilitators to PAP adherence in this population, and focus on pregnancy specific
barriers. We also propose to examine differences in barriers and facilitators by race in pregnant
women. Women (pregnant and non-pregnant) diagnosed with sleep apnea and initiated on PAP
therapy by a clinician will be enrolled to participate in in-depth interviews examining barriers
and facilitators common to all PAP users -but that could be impacted by pregnancy physiology-,
as well as pregnancy specific barriers. We will perform purposive sampling to enroll PAP-
adherent and PAP-nonadherent women, as well as non-adopters of PAP therapy to better
understand their various perspectives. We will then examine responses in Black and non-Black
women to identify differences by race that may relate to communication, messaging, or cultural
differences. PAP adherence will be assessed by downloading data from PAP devices, and
interpreting such data in the context of sleep and activity data by using a headband to measure
sleep and an actigraphy wrist monitor to measure activity and sleep cycles. This study will
enable the development of effective, culturally sensitive counseling strategies to ensure optimal
adherence to PAP, an intervention that improves hemodynamic measures in women with
preeclampsia as well as glucose metabolism in women with gestational diabetes. In the general
population PAP therapy has been shown to hasten clinical recovery in stroke, and improve
cardiac function and functional outcomes in patients with heart failure, conditions that are
major causes of severe maternal morbidity and mortality.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10198396
- **Project number:** 3R01HL130702-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** MIRIAM HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Ghada Bourjeily
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $218,044
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2016-08-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10198396

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10198396, Predictors of de novo development of obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy (3R01HL130702-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10198396. Licensed CC0.

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