While most women are healthy throughout pregnancy, some will be put on bed rest at some time in the pregnancy. About one million pregnancies each year are categorized as high risk. For many of these women, there will be restrictions on activity, including periods of bed rest.
There are several conditions that will necessitate bed rest. Pre eclampsia commonly results in at least some bed rest. This condition occurs in five to ten percent of pregnancies. Bed rest may be at home, in the hospital, or periods of both hospital and home bed rest. Other reasons for bed rest include problems with the placenta, such as placenta previa.
If there are signs of preterm labor or the cervix is changing and it is too early for the baby to be born, you may be put on bed rest. This may be in the hospital, if you are having contractions. Once the contractions are stopped with medication, you will be sent home with orders to rest in bed.
Some women have a higher likelihood of being put on bed rest than others. If you have had a preterm birth or preterm labor in the past, you have an increased chance of needing bed rest in a subsequent pregnancy. A history of miscarriage, problems with incompetent cervix and a multiple pregnancy are other common reasons for women to be put on bed rest.
Resting in bed offers several benefits for the pregnancy. Pressure on the cervix is greatly reduced when mom is resting in bed. Resting on the left side is great for increasing circulation and improving blood flow. This benefits the baby by providing more oxygen. It benefits the mother by eliminating fluid and decreasing swelling.
There is some research that suggests that bed rest reduces stress hormones in the body. While stress hormones alone will not trigger false labor, the hormones combines with other factors may contribute to preterm labor. Keeping mom rested and relaxed can prevent this from happening.
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