A recent study has reported an association between gestational diabetes in pregnant women and snoring. The study further finds a similar link between pregnancy and increase in the risk of snoring in women.

The study is conducted at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It is observed in the study that out of 189 healthy women, those with no previous history of diabetes have 3.3% probability of developing gestational diabetes. The risk increases to 14.3% among women who have had previous history of diabetes. During the study all such factors that might have the potential to cause gestational diabetes were controlled. These factors include age, race, body mass index, ethnicity, etc.

Though gestational diabetes resolves on its own after pregnancy, it can still increase the probability of type II diabetes later on.

“Sleep disturbances during pregnancy may negatively affect your cardiovascular system or metabolism,” says Francesca Facco, M.D., fellow at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Snoring may be a sign of poor air flow and diminished oxygenation during sleep that can cause a cascade of events in your body,” he adds. “This may activate your sympathetic nervous system, so your blood pressure rises at night. This can also provoke inflammatory and metabolic changes, increasing the risk of diabetes or poor sugar tolerance.”

The study further finds that as pregnancy progresses, it increases frequency of snoring in women. Weight gain and edema (fluid buildup in the body) are considered as the two possible factors contributing to snoring. About 11 % of women have reported frequent snoring in the early stage of pregnancy, while the number has gone up to 16.5 % by the third semester.

It is suggested that more studies are needed to clearly understand the association between snoring and diabetes.