Maternal Sleep Position and Stillbirth: Formative Research in India
Providing reliable data and generating new knowledge
The Maternal Sleep Position and Stillbirth Study is an ARPAN supported study lead by Dr Maureen Makama. This study is a collaboration with the ARPAN investigators Professors Joshua Vogel and Caroline Homer (Burnet Institute, Melbourne) and Professor Shivaprasad Goudar (Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, India).
This is a mixed-methods formative research project conducted in Karnataka, India aimed at investigating maternal sleep behaviours during the third trimester of pregnancy. The study explores both the usual going-to-sleep positions of pregnant women and the perspectives of antenatal care providers regarding the provision of sleep position advice.
Recognising maternal sleep position as a modifiable risk factor for stillbirth, the study sought to generate contextual evidence on sleep-related behaviours, beliefs, and patterns among women, as well as current antenatal care practices.
Data collection has been completed across four health facilities and includes:
- Surveys with 430 third-trimester pregnant women
- Birth outcome data extracted from medical records of the surveyed women
- 20 in-depth interviews with third-trimester pregnant women
- 20 in-depth interviews with antenatal care providers
- A desk review of national antenatal care guidelines in India
Findings from this research will inform the development of culturally appropriate interventions and clinical guidelines to support safer sleep practices during pregnancy and contribute to ongoing efforts in stillbirth prevention. A paper has been submitted for peer review with an international journal.
