Restless Legs Syndrome in Pregnancy

  • Keith J. Nagle
Chapter
Part of the Current Clinical Neurology book series (CCNEU)

Abstract

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterized by limb akathisia that is maximal in the evening while at rest and transiently relieved by movement. The prevalence and severity of RLS increase with age. Women older than 65 have an RLS prevalence of 19%, whereas in nonpregnant women younger than 30 years of age it is only 5% (1). However, gestational RLS (gRLS) is strikingly common, with nearly 25% of pregnant women affected (see below). The association of RLS with pregnancy has been noted since the term was first coined by Ekbom in 1945. RLS is a clinical diagnosis. Its four cardinal clinical features were reviewed in Chapter 8. Further details regarding diagnosis are well described by the International RLS Study Group (2,3)

Keywords

Folate Supplementation Sleep Bruxism Periodic Limb Movement Disorder Poor Sleep Hygiene Gravid State 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ 2006

Authors and Affiliations

  • Keith J. Nagle
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Neurology, Vermont Regional Sleep enterUniversity of Vermont College of MedicineBurlington

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