Dreams and Nightmares in Early Pregnancy: A Comparative Study with a Control Group.
Serena Scarpelli, Marta Spinoni, Maurizio Gorgoni, Stefano Lasaponara, Paola Ciolli, Francesco Rech, Marco Di Muzio, Carlotta Med, Ilaria Di Pasquale Benedetti, Caterina Grano, Luigi De Gennaro
Nature and Science of Sleep 2025 DOI: 10.2147/NSS.S520737 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 200 |
| Population | Women in their first trimester of pregnancy and age-matched non-pregnant women |
| Topics | Depression Dreaming |
| Keywords | Continuity hypothesis First trimester Gestation Nightmares Oneiric activity |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | First-trimester pregnant women reported fewer nightmares than non-pregnant women, and depressive symptoms and lucid dreaming were associated with more frequent nightmares. |
Abstract
This study investigated dream characteristics in women during the first trimester of pregnancy compared to a group of non-pregnant women, aiming to identify variables associated with the observed differences. A sample of 100 pregnant women in their first trimester was compared to a control group of 100 age-matched non-pregnant women. Participants completed online questionnaires to assess dream activity, sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and sociodemographic variables. Controlling for socio-demographic variables, statistical comparisons revealed that pregnant women reported fewer nightmares and showed less interest in their dream activity compared to non-pregnant women. Ordinal logistic regression revealed that being in the control group, greater attention to dreams, the presence of depressive symptoms, and a higher frequency of lucid dreaming were significant predictors of more frequent nightmares. Moderation analysis showed no significant interaction between pregnancy status and dream attitude. Contrary to expectations, first-trimester pregnant women had fewer nightmares than non-pregnant women. However, the results are coherent with the finding that parasomnia-like events decrease during pregnancy. The rapid hormonal changes and specific sleep and emotional features of this stage of gestation may explain the lower presence of nightmares as compared to our control group. Moreover, we confirmed a crucial role of dream attitude in recalling nightmares, suggesting that some stable, trait-like features may contribute to nightmare experiences independently of pregnancy status. Our results also confirmed, according to the Continuity hypothesis, that depressive symptoms are associated with nightmares. Also, the presence of lucid dreaming in association with nightmares may be interpreted as an attempt to cope with unpleasant emotions. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine how dream activity evolves across pregnancy stages.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years | 2002 | Prospective observational study | n = 116 |
| Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... | 1987 | Case-control study | n = 11 |
| The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 147 |
| Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Healthy human subjects | 2018 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cites 17
- The threat simulation theory in light of recent empirical evidence: A review The American Journal of Psychology April 1, 2009
- Cognitions in Sleep: Lucid Dreaming as an Intervention for Nightmares in Patients With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Frontiers in Psychology 2020
- Bad dream, nightmares and psychopathology: a systematic review Frontiers in Psychiatry October 8, 2024
- The association between dream activity and alexithymia during pregnancy: A cross-sectional study in a sample of pregnant women. Journal of Sleep Research August 1, 2025
- Nightmare frequency is a risk factor for suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Sleep Research October 1, 2024
and 12 more in the library