Pregnant women who sleep on their backs risk still birth

Recent research has proven that pregnant women who sleep on their backs are at greater risk of having a stillbirth.

'Stillbirth conception' is when a woman gives birth to an infant that has died in the womb, after at least surviving the first 28 weeks of pregnancy.
It was observed in Ghana that pregnant women who slept on their backs were found to be five times more likely to have a still birth or a baby with low birth weight. They also claimed that this problem can be avoided by ensuring pregnant women change their sleeping positions. Simple right?

The reason why this occurs is that women who sleep on their backs risked compression on the vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower part of the body to the heart. This means that the heart would not  pump as much blood as it usually does. The fetus needs proper blood circulation to carry food and oxygen to it  as well as waste away from it.

So how should pregnant women sleep?
Pregnant women should try sleeping on their sides, most especially on their left side because this can improve blood flow to the placenta. You can put a pillow behind you to keep you in that position. Do not sleep on your tummy!