A qualitative study on sleep experiences in late pregnancy among women with a history of perinatal loss.

Abstract

To explore the sleep experiences in late pregnancy among women with a history of perinatal loss, aiming to provide a reference for developing relevant nursing programmes for this population. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted using purposeful sampling. Between October 2023 and February 2024, 18 late-trimester pregnant women with a history of perinatal loss were recruited from Suzhou Municipal Hospital for semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed and themes were extracted using Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method. Three main themes were identified: severe sleep disruption; diverse factors influencing sleep quality (including heavy psychological burden, pregnancy-related symptoms, behavioral and lifestyle factors, weak support from family and friends, and insufficient support from healthcare providers); and difficulties in self-managing sleep problems. Women with a history of perinatal loss often experience poor sleep quality during the third trimester of subsequent pregnancy. Healthcare providers should promptly identify patients' physical discomfort symptoms, monitor their psychological well-being, address maladaptive cognitions and enhance sleep health awareness. Multidimensional support systems and interventions to improve self-coping capacity should be implemented to optimise sleep quality in these women.