According to National Sleep Foundation, “More than 70% of the children who suffer from RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) have got this from their mommies (genetics). If the mother has RLS during pregnancy, there is a fair enough chance that the child will also suffer from the same.”

The same research states, “If a child has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), he/she faces more severe condition due to RLS.”

This research conducted in New York shows that 36% of women during their third trimester show Restless Leg Syndrome. The major problem they face due to this condition is a lack of sleep during the night. Compared to this, pregnant women who did not suffer from RLS have a healthier sleeping habit.

As per a study conducted by the University of Michigan on RLS and its effect on pregnant women, they did not think that the connection or result will be very strong.

“It is quite normal for pregnant women to face RLS but the level of severity is something that shocked us. We did not believe that it can cause so much trouble to them. The study was conducted on 1,563 pregnant women. The severity of RLS was much more in women who were above the age of 30 years,” – Galit Levi Dunietz.

Restless Leg Syndrome is the intense and excessive urge to move legs and limbs especially in late afternoons or evenings. This constant urge and frequency of doing it can be estimated in the scale of severity.

As they cannot sleep peacefully at night, pregnant women with the RLS feel sleepy during the daytime. This hampers their entire system, and they tend to become unproductive.

When asked to experts that what can go wrong if they sleep during daytime, they replied – “If pregnant women are sleeping during the day, they don’t have time to do anything that they are willing to. This unwillingness leads to boredom, and then it turns into anxiety or depression.”

Galit Levi Dunietz also mentioned that it is important to get RLS treatment done and to proper doctors. If they are treating the condition in non-pharmacological therapies, there are clear risks of elevating RLS in pregnant women.

Doctors prefer treating it with iron, vitamin B12, magnesium, or folate supplements which do not incur any harm. But, for any kind of medicine during pregnancy, one should never opt for OTC pills. Consulting is best for pregnant women and their baby growing inside.