@article{8b8594cef23349cb95ef3cfc8b73090c,
title = "Australian women's perceptions and practice of sleep position in late pregnancy: An online survey",
abstract = "Background: Going-to-sleep in the supine position in later pregnancy (≥28 weeks) has been identified as a risk factor for stillbirth. Internationally, public awareness campaigns have been undertaken encouraging women to sleep on their side during late pregnancy. Aim: This study aimed to identify sleep practices, attitudes and knowledge in pregnant women, to inform an Australian safe sleeping campaign. Methods: A web-based survey of pregnant women ≥28 weeks{\textquoteright} gestation conducted from November 2017 to January 2018. The survey was adapted from international sleep surveys and disseminated via pregnancy websites and social media platforms. Findings: Three hundred and fifty-two women participated. Five (1.6%) reported going to sleep in the supine position. Most (87.8%) had received information on the importance of side-sleeping in pregnancy. Information was received from a variety of sources including maternity care providers (186; 66.2%) and the internet (177; 63.0%). Women were more likely to report going to sleep on their side if they had received advice to do so (OR 2.3; 95% CI 1.0–5.1). Thirteen (10.8%) reported receiving unsafe advice, including changing their going-to-sleep position to the supine position. Discussion: This indicates high level awareness and practice of safe late-pregnancy going-to-sleep position in participants. Opportunities remain for improvement in the information provided, and understanding needs of specific groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Conclusion: Findings suggest Australian women understand the importance of sleeping position in late pregnancy. Inconsistencies in information provided remain and may be addressed through public awareness campaigns targeting women and their care providers.",
keywords = "Risk factors, Sleep position, Stillbirth, Supine sleeping",
author = "Warrilow, {K. A.} and A. Gordon and Andrews, {C. J.} and Boyle, {F. M.} and Wojcieszek, {A. M.} and {Stuart Butler}, D. and D. Ellwood and Middleton, {P. F.} and R. Cronin and Flenady, {V. J.}",
note = "Funding Information: This study is part of the work program of the Australian Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). We would like to thank the contributions of the Mater Foundation. Funding Information: This survey suggests that a high proportion of women in Australia who undertook this survey understand the importance of going to sleep on their side in late pregnancy and are practising safe sleeping recommendations. However, it is evident that there are opportunities for improvement in the information and advice provided, as some women reported changing to a supine going-to-sleep position based on advice. A National Stillbirth Public Awareness Campaign has been recently funded by the Australian Government Department of Health “Stillbirth Education and Awareness Grant Opportunity (GO2536) awarded to RedNose Australia in collaboration with planned evaluation by the Stillbirth CRE. The campaign has been designed to enhance the evidence based messaged within the National SBB program and will run in 2021. A well-designed, national evidence-based education initiative and accompanying awareness campaigns targeting women and their health care providers may address the potential inconsistencies in information provided to women. Such a campaign must be informed by further research to understand the needs of all Australian women, particularly those at increased risk of stillbirth such as Indigenous and migrant and refugee women [ 23 , 25 , 26 ]. The results of this survey shed valuable light on how Australian women perceive and act on the importance of sleeping position in late pregnancy, to inform future Australian public awareness campaigns. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Australian College of Midwives",
year = "2022",
month = mar,
doi = "10.1016/j.wombi.2021.04.006",
language = "English",
volume = "35",
pages = "e111--e117",
journal = "Women and Birth",
issn = "1871-5192",
publisher = "Elsevier",
number = "2",
}