Objective:

To provide clinical practice guidelines on the management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) during pregnancy.

Approach:

• Systematic Review: The CHEST panel conducted a systematic review addressing nine population, intervention, comparator, and outcome questions using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations framework.

Key Findings:

• OSA has been associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, severe cardiovascular morbidity, intensive care unit admission, preterm birth, adverse fetal growth, neonatal ICU admission, and congenital anomalies.

Interpretation:

The guidance emphasizes the necessity for further research due to low evidence levels regarding screening and treatment of OSA in pregnancy, as highlighted by lead guideline author Carolyn M. D'Ambrosio, MD.

Limitations:

• Most recommendations are based on low-certainty evidence.
• Limited availability of pregnancy-specific screening tools and treatment data.

Conclusion:

Future research is necessary to address knowledge gaps in OSA management during pregnancy.

Sources:

• CHEST Journal