Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40907119›Full record

ArticleMidwifery2025

Sleep, physical activity, and pregnancy symptoms: Factors associated with cognitive performance in early pregnancy.

Virginia R Nuckols, Kristen G Davis, Gary L Pierce, Karin F Hoth, Mark K Santillan, Bethany Barone Gibbs, Kara M Whitaker

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Midwifery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

7 authors.

Virginia R NuckolsDepartment of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Kristen G DavisDepartment of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Gary L PierceDepartment of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Karin F HothDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Mark K SantillanDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Bethany Barone GibbsDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Kara M WhitakerDepartment of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA. Electronic address: kara-whitaker@uiowa.edu.

Funding

University of Iowa Hawkeye Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (Hawk-IDDRC)P50HD103556 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · PI EDWIN TED G. ABEL, Lane Strathearn · 2021 to 2026
$8.5M
Sedentary behavior, physical activity, sleep, and cardiovascular risk in pregnancy: the Pregnancy 24/7 cohort studyR01HL153095 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · PI WHITAKER, KARA MARIE · 2020 to 2024
$3.6M
Vasopressin and Preeclampsia: Early Mechanisms for PreventionR01HD089940 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · PI SANTILLAN, MARK K · 2019 to 2023
$1.9M
American Heart Association-American Stroke Association 969732NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL153095NICHD NIH HHS P50 HD103556NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD089940
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWomen often report disruptions in cognitive performance during pregnancy. Though substantiated by objective assessments, findings have been inconsistent and potential contributing factors are not well understood.

aimThe objective of this study was to examine the cross-sectional associations between maternal mood, stress, pregnancy-related symptoms and device measured 24-hour activity behaviors with cognitive performance in the first trimester of pregnancy.

methodsPregnant women (N=90) were assessed in the first trimester. Non-pregnant controls (N=73) were assessed 1-5 years after pregnancy. Depressive symptoms, (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), and pregnancy-specific health related quality of life (Nausea and Vomiting during Pregnancy Health-Related Quality of Life) were evaluated using validated questionnaires, and 24-hour activity measured via actigraphy (activPAL, Actiwatch Spectrum Plus). Cognitive performance was evaluated using tests of memory, processing speed, and executive function.

findingsPregnant women performed lower on memory tests compared with non-pregnant women. Neither depressive symptoms nor stress were associated with lower cognitive performance in pregnancy. Physical symptoms of pregnancy (e.g., nausea, vomiting) were related to lower memory scores (β=0.32, P=0.02). Longer sleep duration was associated with better executive function performance (β=1.4, P=0.03).

conclusionThis study demonstrates lower memory performance in the first trimester of pregnancy compared with non-pregnant controls and indicates that pregnancy symptoms and shorter sleep duration may be contributing factors.

Indexed as

CognitionExercisePregnant PeopleSleepAdultCross-Sectional StudiesDepressionFemaleHumansPregnancyPregnancy Trimester, FirstQuality of LifeStress, PsychologicalSurveys and QuestionnairesExecutive functionMemoryPhysical activityPregnancy symptomsSleep

Identifiers

PMID40907119
PMCPMC12771380

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.