New York, March 9 (IANS): Obese pregnant women with gestational (pregnancy) diabetes are more likely to suffer from the sleep disorder obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), new research has found.

"OSA may be an important co-morbidity (co-existing illness) in women with gestational diabetes mellitus," said study investigator Sirimon Reutrakul, associate professor at Mahidol University Faculty of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand.

Poor glucose control during pregnancy can lead to problems for both mother and child, including a higher chance of premature birth or stillbirth, according to the Hormone Health Network, a leading source of hormone-related health information.

In 25 women with diet-controlled gestational (pregnancy) diabetes, the researchers found a 56 percent prevalence of OSA, a sleep disorder in which a person stops breathing for brief episodes during sleep.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 9.2 percent of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes. Being overweight or obese is a risk factor.

The women were between 24 and 34 weeks pregnant, and all had diet-controlled gestational diabetes.

OSA was diagnosed using a home monitoring device (Watch-PAT200, Itamar Medical) worn on the participant's wrist overnight.

Of the 14 study participants found to have OSA, 12 women had mild sleep apnea and two had moderately severe apnea, the investigators reported.

There were no difference between women who had OSA and those who did not have this sleep disorder other than a tendency for the OSA group to have a higher average pre-pregnancy BMI than the other group, the researchers noted.

The findings were be presented at the Endocrine Society's 97th annual meeting in San Diego.