Association between Maternal Symptoms of Sleep Disordered Breathing and Fetal Telomere Length

A study in the April issue of SLEEP provides the first evidence demonstrating that fetuses born to mothers at high risk for sleep apnea or habitual snorers had shortened leukocyte telomere length. According to the authors, these preliminary results suggest that maternal symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing during pregnancy may be a possible mechanism of accelerated chromosomal aging.

Our investigation aims to assess the impact of symptoms of maternal sleep disordered breathing, specifically sleep apnea risk and daytime sleepiness, on fetal leukocyte telomere length.

Our results provide the first evidence demonstrating shortened telomere length among fetuses exposed to maternal symptoms of sleep disordered breathing during pregnancy, and suggest sleep disordered breathing as a possible mechanism of accelerated chromosomal aging.

Full article can be found at http://journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=29954