The University of Auckland research suggests women who sleep on their left side on the last night of their pregnancy have 50 per cent less risk of late stillbirth, compared to women who don’t.

The study, which was funded by children’s charity Cure Kids, is the first stillbirth case control research in the world to look at maternal sleeping patterns.

Results show the absolute risk of late still birth for women who went to sleep on their left side was 1.96 per 1000, compared with 3.93 per 1000 for those who slept in other positions.

Professor Lesley McCowan, head of obstetrics and gynaecology, says the findings might be due to restricted blood flow to the baby, which can occur when the mother lies on her back or right side for long periods.

“If confirmed through future studies, we may be able to reduce the number of stillbirth by up to one-third,’ he says. “We are now trying to obtain funding for this.”

Study participants included 155 Auckland women who gave birth to a stillborn baby when they were at least 28 weeks pregnant, and 310 with ongoing pregnancies.

The study results are at www.bmj.com

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