Facilitators and barriers to adopting sleep position recommendations during pregnancy

Pregnancy and childbirth are often a positive and fulfilling experiences, however for many women ill health and complications can arise. Some sleeping positions have been associated with certain complications. However, we have no evidence as to whether this link between sleep position and certain pregnancy outcomes is well known amongst the pregnant population. 

This study will help us understand what the level of awareness regarding sleep position and pregnancy outcomes is in women who have recently had a baby, and what are the supports needed to encourage women to follow recommendations.

It is important to emphasize that this survey is aimed at understanding awareness surrounding sleep position among women. The purpose is solely to gather information on factors that may influence adoption of recommendations. 

This survey contains questions about difficult topics and undesired outcomes of pregnancy. Please, be aware that these questions might be sensitive.

You are eligible to participate if:

• You have been a mum since June 2022.
• Your baby was born after 28 weeks of pregnancy.
• You are 18 years old or older.
• You had your baby in Ireland

Project status: 

Ongoing: July 2024 to June 2025. Recruitment phase starting in August 2024.

Research team:

• Dr Tamara Escañuela Sánchez
  National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork.
  Pregnancy Loss Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork.
• Dr Karen Matvienko-Sikar
  School of Public Health, University College Cork.
• Professor Keelin O'Donoghue,
  Pregnancy Loss Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork.
• Professor Richard Greene
  National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork.

Contact information

Please, contact us if you have any questions or if you would like more information about the study. You can contact Dr. Tamara Escañuela Sánchez at tamara.escanuelasanchez@ucc.ie or telephone +353 (0)21 420 5053.

Ethical approval for this study was granted by the Social Research Ethics Committee at University College Cork (Log 2024-131). If you have any concerns about this study, and wish to contact someone independent, you may contact the Social Research Ethics Committee by email: srec@ucc.ie.