Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between previous pregnancies and gestational age with the occurrence of RLS in pregnant women and the connection of RLS in the family with the onset of the disease in pregnant women and women who are not pregnant.

Background: RLS is a movement disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs described as a burning, tingling, etc. Symptoms become worse in the evening and are relieved by moving the limbs.

Method: The study was conducted on a sample of 231 pregnant women aged 18 to 50. The pregnant women were interviewed at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics. The study also included a control group of 231 age-compatible non-pregnant women. Women who met the international criteria for diagnosing the syndrome filled in a sociodemographic questionnaire.

Results: Statistically significant correlations between gestational ages greater than 16 weeks and RLS have been demonstrated, as well as the correlation of positive family history of this syndrome and its occurrence in the sample of pregnant women and non-pregnant women who were examined. A statistically significant link between the number of pregnancies and RLS in the sample of pregnant women tested has not been established.

Conclusion: RLS more often occurs after the 16th week of pregnancy and in pregnant women and non-pregnant women with cases of RLS in the family. In this study, no correlation has been proven between the number of previous pregnancies and RLS.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/relationship-between-restless-legs-syndrome-and-various-factors-in-pregnancy/