For baby
Because pauses in breathing with sleep apnea can cause surges in blood pressure, it can cause changes in your blood vessels, reducing the volume of blood pumped by your heart. This can compromise the blood flow to your baby via the placenta, leading to drops in the baby’s oxygen levels too.
This can cause your baby’s heart rate to drop or acidosis. It can also contribute to fetal growth restriction, a condition where your baby doesn’t grow in-utero as expected, leading them to be smaller than their gestational age.
When your sleep is disrupted during pregnancy, it can also lower the amount of growth hormone released, leading to not only growth problems but also developmental issues. It can also increase the risk of preterm birth, as well as health problems or even the death of your newborn baby.