Dreams and Nightmares in Early Pregnancy: A Comparative Study with a Control Group.
Nature and science of sleep January 1, 2025 Serena Scarpelli, Marta Spinoni, Maurizio Gorgoni et al. 1 citation
Pregnant women in their first trimester experience fewer nightmares than non-pregnant counterparts, with 100 participants in each group revealing significant differences. While only 23% of pregnant women reported frequent nightmares, this contrasts sharply with 43% in the control group. Additionally, those with depressive symptoms and greater dream engagement were more likely to have nightmares. The findings suggest that hormonal changes during gestation may reduce oneiric activity, supporting the continuity hypothesis that links depression with nightmare frequency.