Sleep apnea during pregnancy

By trimester

Weeks 1–13

1st trimester

Early pregnancy weight gain and airway swelling are usually just beginning, so new sleep apnea is less common this early, but if you already had it before pregnancy or carry risk factors like a higher body weight, mention it at your first prenatal visit.

Weeks 14–27

2nd trimester

As weight gain and nasal congestion build through the second trimester, snoring and witnessed breathing pauses can become more noticeable to a partner, which is the kind of symptom worth describing to your provider rather than waiting on.

Weeks 28–birth

3rd trimester

Sleep apnea in the third trimester has been linked to higher rates of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and slower fetal growth, so persistent snoring with gasping or breathing pauses is worth raising now rather than writing off as ordinary late-pregnancy discomfort.

What does the evidence show for sleep apnea?

• Sleep apnea typically shows up as loud snoring paired with gasping, choking, or witnessed pauses in breathing during sleep, along with excessive daytime sleepiness, and pregnancy itself is listed among the recognized risk factors for developing it. 1
• In one study of 82 pregnant women using a validated screening tool, nearly 44% were classified as high risk for sleep apnea, and the researchers linked pregnancy snoring and sleep apnea to complications including gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. 2
• Beyond gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, snoring linked to sleep apnea in pregnancy has also been associated with fetal heart rate abnormalities and fetal growth restriction, underscoring why persistent, witnessed symptoms are worth reporting rather than waiting out. 2
• Maternal sleep apnea was independently linked to slower fetal growth, with an adjusted odds ratio of 3.9, and this effect was less pronounced among mothers who used positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy during pregnancy. 3
• Normal pregnancy changes and true sleep apnea share so many symptoms that questionnaire-based screening has been found to poorly predict who actually has it, which is why a nocturnal sleep study remains the reliable way to confirm the condition rather than symptoms alone. 4

When should I call my provider about sleep apnea?

Loud snoring paired with witnessed pauses in breathing, gasping, or choking sounds during sleep, along with daytime sleepiness beyond typical pregnancy fatigue, are the signs worth describing to your provider rather than assuming they're ordinary pregnancy snoring. This combination matters more if you also carry risk factors like a higher body weight or chronic high blood pressure. Because sleep apnea in pregnancy has been linked to higher rates of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and slower fetal growth, persistent symptoms deserve a same-visit conversation, and a nocturnal sleep study is the most reliable way to sort it out from normal pregnancy changes. None of these lists replace your own judgment: if this symptom worries you, that on its own is enough reason to check in with your healthcare provider.