Restless legs syndrome and pregnancy: a review
- PMID: 24768121
- PMCID: PMC4058350
- DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2014.03.027
Restless legs syndrome and pregnancy: a review
Abstract
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sensorimotor neurological disorder that is diagnosed according to the revised criteria of the International RLS Study Group (IRLSSG). The pathophysiology of RLS is still unknown and its prevalence is influenced by ethnicity, age, and gender. RLS is divided into two types by etiology: primary or idiopathic and secondary. Primary RLS is strongly influenced by a genetic component while secondary RLS is caused by other associated conditions such as end-stage renal disease or peripheral neuropathy. Another common condition associated with RLS is pregnancy. The prevalence of RLS during pregnancy is two to three times higher than in the normal population and is influenced by the trimester and the number of parity. The main mechanisms that may contribute to the pathophysiology of RLS during pregnancy are hormonal changes and iron and folate status. Standard medications for treating RLS during pregnancy are not established. Most medications have been used according to the evidence from non-pregnant patients. Therefore, consideration of the medical treatment for treating RLS during pregnancy should be balanced between the benefit of relieving the symptoms and maternal and fetal risk. In general, the prognosis of RLS during pregnancy is good and symptoms are usually relieved after delivery.
Keywords: Hormones; Iron; Pregnancy; Restless legs syndrome.
Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Similar articles
-
Restless legs syndrome: pathophysiology and modern management.Postgrad Med J. 2013 Jul;89(1053):402-10. doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2012-131634. Epub 2013 Mar 22. Postgrad Med J. 2013. PMID: 23524988 Review.
-
[Restless-legs syndrome].Rev Neurol (Paris). 2008 Aug-Sep;164(8-9):701-21. doi: 10.1016/j.neurol.2008.06.006. Epub 2008 Jul 24. Rev Neurol (Paris). 2008. PMID: 18656214 Review. French.
-
Prevalence and associated features of restless legs syndrome in a population of Iranian women during pregnancy.Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2013 Oct;123(1):46-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2013.04.023. Epub 2013 Jul 22. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2013. PMID: 23886452
-
Prevalence and impact of restless legs syndrome in pregnancy.Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2013;34(5):366-71. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2013. PMID: 23922045
-
Restless legs syndrome: detection and management in primary care. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Working Group on Restless Legs Syndrome.Am Fam Physician. 2000 Jul 1;62(1):108-14. Am Fam Physician. 2000. PMID: 10905782 Review.
Cited by
-
Evaluation of the relationship between restless legs syndrome, mental status, and sleep disorders among Moroccan women during their third trimester of pregnancy.Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2024 Mar 21;86(5):2626-2632. doi: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000001987. eCollection 2024 May. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2024. PMID: 38694400 Free PMC article.
-
Sleep pattern and disorders among pregnant women in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria.BMC Womens Health. 2024 Apr 20;24(1):250. doi: 10.1186/s12905-024-03086-z. BMC Womens Health. 2024. PMID: 38643114 Free PMC article.
-
Prevalence and factors associated with restless legs syndrome among pregnant women in middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Dec 21;10:1326337. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1326337. eCollection 2023. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023. PMID: 38188334 Free PMC article.
-
New-onset movement disorder in the immediate postpartum period.BMJ Case Rep. 2023 Dec 28;16(12):e254132. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2022-254132. BMJ Case Rep. 2023. PMID: 38154870
-
The Prevalence, Severity, and Predictive Factors of Restless Legs Syndrome in Pregnancy.Cureus. 2023 Sep 8;15(9):e44884. doi: 10.7759/cureus.44884. eCollection 2023 Sep. Cureus. 2023. PMID: 37692184 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Walters AS, The International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group Toward a better definition of the restless legs syndrome. Mov Disord. 1995;10:634–42. - PubMed
-
- Allen RP, Picchietti D, Hening WA, Trenkwalder C, Walters AS, Montplaisir J. Restless legs syndrome: diagnostic criteria, special considerations, and epidemiology. Sleep Med. 2003;4:101–19. - PubMed
-
- Yeh P, Walters AS, Tsuang JW. Restless legs syndrome: a comprehensive overview on its epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment. Sleep Breath. 2012;16:987–1007. - PubMed
-
- Ohayon MM, Roth T. Prevalence of restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder in the general population. J Psychosom Res. 2002;53:547–54. - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical