This is a prospective, open-label, single-arm pilot study designed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary safety of TOMAC™ peroneal electrical nerve stimulation (PNS) for the treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) during pregnancy.
RLS affects approximately 20-30% of pregnant individuals, with symptoms often worsening during the second and third trimesters. It is associated with disrupted sleep, decreased quality of life, and adverse pregnancy outcomes such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, prolonged labor, and increased cesarean delivery rates. Pharmacologic therapies for RLS are generally avoided during pregnancy because of limited data on fetal safety, highlighting the need for effective, non-pharmacologic alternatives.
The TOMAC™ system is a non-invasive, wearable, high-frequency peroneal nerve stimulator that delivers bilateral stimulation to the common peroneal nerves. It is FDA De Novo granted for use in adults with moderate to severe RLS but has not been evaluated in pregnant populations. Safety rationale for this study is informed by evidence from other neuromodulation therapies, such as sacral nerve stimulation, which have been used safely during pregnancy without observed maternal or fetal harm.
Primary objectives are to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of TOMAC™ PNS using validated implementation measures, including the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM), and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM).
Secondary objectives include assessment of adherence, dose tolerance, usability, maternal and fetal safety, and exploratory evaluation of symptom improvement and sleep quality through the International Restless Legs Syndrome Rating Scale (IRLS), Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ), and Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Problem Index II (MOS-II).
Fifteen pregnant individuals between 21 and 26 weeks of gestation with a confirmed diagnosis of RLS will be enrolled. Following baseline assessments, participants will undergo an in-person titration session under clinical supervision, which includes uterine contraction and fetal monitoring performed at ≥28 weeks' gestation to ensure maternal and fetal safety.
Participants will then use the TOMAC™ device at home for an 8-week intervention, performing self-administered 30-minute sessions as needed, preferably during periods of symptom distress or prior to sleep.
Data will be collected from patient-reported outcomes, actigraphy sleep recordings, device usage logs, and maternal-fetal safety monitoring. Follow-up includes biweekly phone check-ins, an in-person mid-study visit at week 4, a final in-person visit at week 8, and a three-month postpartum safety follow-up.
This pilot study will generate the first prospective data on the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of peroneal nerve stimulation in pregnancy, providing foundational evidence for future randomized controlled trials evaluating TOMAC™ PNS as a pregnancy-safe, non-pharmacologic treatment for RLS and its potential to improve maternal sleep and pregnancy outcomes.
