women in this study were all healthy nulliparous women, and results may differ in women with high-risk pregnancies or depression or in multiparous women who may have limited opportunities to nap . The results may have been different if only women who worked part time or were unemployed were included. In addition, infrequent nappers and frequent nappers were defined arbitrarily in this study because all women napped.
In conclusion, napping in pregnant women in Taiwan is more prevalent than previously suggested. Napping during pregnancy might indicate insufficient nighttime sleep, and longer daytime naps might influence subsequent nighttime sleep duration, but not necessarily compromise nighttime sleep quality. Although the potential benefits and risk associated with napping in pregnant women are largely unexplored, the findings have important clinical implications and suggest the need for healthcare providers to encourage pregnant women to obtain adequate amounts of nighttime sleep because napping opportunities may be unavailable or limited during the day. Further research to clarify the relation among nighttime sleep duration, daytime napping, and negative pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women is warranted.Clarification of these associations will help healthcare providers determine whether to recommend daytime naps to pregnant women.