Restless legs syndrome in pregnancy is connected with iron deficiency

• Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is frequent among pregnant women.
• RLS has negative impact on health-related quality of life.
• RLS in pregnancy is connected with absolute/relative iron deficiency.
• Adequate iron supplementation leads to RLS symptom improvement.
• Gynecologists/obstetricians must be aware of the link between iron and RLS.

ObjectiveAlmost one-third of pregnant women develop symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS), which could have a negative impact on quality of life and the course of pregnancy and/or labor. The aim of our study was to determine possible risk factors for developing RLS in pregnant women.MethodsA total of 300 random women in the third trimester of gravidity filled out a simple questionnaire based on the official diagnostic criteria for RLS. Respondents positive for RLS were interviewed to further characterize their symptoms. The parameters of iron metabolism were examined based on blood samples. All data were statistically analyzed.ResultsWe detected significantly lower hemoglobin levels with signs of hypochromic anemia typical of iron deficiency in RLS-positive respondents, although oral iron supplementation was significantly higher in this group. The overall severity of symptoms correlated inversely with hemoglobin level.ConclusionAccording to our results, it appears that serum iron level disturbances play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of secondary RLS in pregnant women.