Sleep deprivation during pregnancy can increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and its effects are independent of maternal age and body mass index (BMI), according to a recent study presented at the 2015 meeting of the American Association of Professional Sleep Associates. Investigators Kathyrn J. Reid, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and colleagues enrolled 760 women with singleton pregnancies, excluding pre-pregnancy diabetes mellitus and chronic hypertension, from subjects participating in the Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes. Their sleep activity was recorded for 7 consecutive days from 16 to 21 weeks of gestation and they were considered sleep deprived if they slept less than 7 hours per night. It was found that the mean nightly sleep duration of the women was 7.4 hours, 28% were associated with sleep deprivation, and the prevalence of gestational hypertension (GHTN), pre-eclampsia, and GDM in the total subject population was 5.1%, 5.1%, and 4.1%, respectively. Analysis of GHTN and preeclampsia as endpoints showed that sleep deprivation was not significantly associated with GHTN/preeclampsia, and the prevalence of GHTN/preeclampsia with or without sleep deprivation was 11.3% and 9.9%, respectively (P=NS). However, the incidence of GDM was significantly higher in those with sleep deprivation compared with those without sleep deprivation (6.6% vs. 3.1%); after correcting for maternal age and BMI, sleep deprivation still significantly increased the risk of GDM (corrected OR=2.12, 95CI: 1.02-4.41). The researchers noted that further research is needed to understand why sleep deprivation occurs in pregnant women and to determine whether screening for sleep disorders and education for women with sleep deprivation can reduce the risk of GDM. Michael Thorpy of Montefiore Medical Center commented that sleep loss is associated with metabolic disorders, and that sleep deprivation may increase the risk of insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. The results of this study further suggest the importance of getting enough sleep during pregnancy.