Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39279669›Full record

Trial reportBJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology2025

A Position Modification Device for the Prevention of Supine Sleep During Pregnancy: A Randomised Crossover Trial.

Danielle L Wilson, Carley Whenn, Maree Barnes, Susan P Walker, Mark E Howard

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Objectively Measured Maternal Supine Sleep and Fetal Growth: A Prospective Cohort Study.BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2025
    Article
  4. Sleeping posture in pregnancy.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Danielle L WilsonInstitute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6754-7359
Carley WhennInstitute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Maree BarnesInstitute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Susan P WalkerDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Mark E HowardInstitute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Funding

Austin Medical Research FoundationNorman Beischer Medical Research Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo assess the effectiveness and acceptability of a pillow-like position modification device to reduce supine sleep during late pregnancy, and to determine the impacts on the severity of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and foetal well-being.

designRandomised cross-over study. SETTING AND POPULATION: Individuals in the third trimester of pregnancy receiving antenatal care at a tertiary maternity hospital in Australia.

methodsParticipants used their own pillow for a control week and an intervention pillow for a week overnight, in randomised order. Sleep position and total sleep time for each night of both weeks were objectively monitored, with a sleep study and foetal heart rate monitoring performed on the last night of each week.

main outcome measuresPrimary outcome = percentage of sleep time in the supine position; secondary outcomes = apnoea-hypopnoea index, foetal heart rate decelerations and birthweight centile.

resultsForty-one individuals were randomised with data collected on 35 participants over 469 nights. There was no difference in percentage of total sleep time in the supine position overnight between the control or intervention pillow week (13.0% [6.1, 25.5] vs. 16.0% [5.6, 27.2], p = 0.81 with a mean difference of 2.5% [95% CI] = -0.7, 5.6, p = 0.12), and no difference in the severity of SDB or foetal heart rate decelerations across weeks. However, increased supine sleep was significantly related to a higher apnoea-hypopnoea index (r

conclusionsWe found no evidence to suggest that the adoption of a pillow designed to discourage supine sleep was effective in late pregnancy, with women spending an average of 1 h per night supine. Alternative devices should be investigated, incorporating lessons learnt from this study to inform trials of supine sleep minimisation in pregnancy.

trial registrationClinical Trial: (Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry): ACTRN12620000371998.

Indexed as

Cross-Over StudiesPregnancy Trimester, ThirdAdultAustraliaBedding and LinensFemaleHeart Rate, FetalHumansPatient PositioningPregnancyPregnancy ComplicationsPrenatal CareSleepSleep Apnea SyndromesSupine Positionaccuracy of self‐reportbirthweightfoetal heart ratenight‐to‐night variabilitypillowpregnantside sleepingsleep apnoeasleep‐disordered breathingstillbirth

Identifiers

PMID39279669
PMCPMC11625653

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.