Maternal activity restriction to reduce preterm birth: Time to put this fallacy to bed

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Background:

• Activity restriction, including bed rest, is a common recommendation for pregnant women, particularly those at high risk, to prevent preterm birth.
• This practice is widely applied despite a lack of supporting scientific evidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the scientific evidence supporting the use of bed rest in pregnancy for preventing preterm birth.
• To assess the potential risks and benefits associated with prescribed bed rest during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• A review of existing scientific literature and studies was conducted.
• Analysis focused on the efficacy of bed rest in reducing preterm birth rates and its associated maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Main Results:

• No scientific evidence supports that bed rest reduces preterm birth.
• Studies indicate that women on bed rest experienced higher rates of preterm delivery.
• Bed rest is linked to adverse physiological and psychosocial effects, including reduced neonatal birth weight.

Conclusions:

• The practice of prescribing bed rest during pregnancy is outdated and lacks scientific validation.
• Bed rest should not be endorsed, even for high-risk pregnancies or those with a short cervix, due to its ineffectiveness and potential harms.
• Clinical guidelines should be updated to reflect the evidence against bed rest in pregnancy.