| "TUESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Sleep apnea greatly increases the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy, according to a U.S. study that looked at nationwide data on millions of pregnancies in 2003." "Sleep apnea is a nighttime breathing disorder that disrupts sleep, causing multiple awakenings. Obesity is a major risk factor for sleep apnea." "Out of almost 4 million deliveries, 452 women had sleep apnea. Of the almost 168,000 women with gestational diabetes, 67 had sleep apnea. Of the almost 201,000 women with pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, 166 had sleep apnea." "The researchers concluded that sleep apnea was associated with a twofold increase in the risk of gestational diabetes and a fourfold increase in the risk of pregnancy-induced high blood pressure." "The findings were to be presented Tuesday at the American Thoracic Society's international conference in San Francisco." ""The repetitive decrease in oxygen that occurs during the night in someone with sleep apnea heightens the body's 'fight or flight' state, which can raise blood pressure," researcher Hatim Youssef of the Robert Wood Johnson
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