(Press-News.org) WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2014—In a new guideline, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine has recommended against the routine use of bed rest in pregnancy.
"There is no evidence that bed rest improves outcomes", says Anthony Sciscione, DO, director of Delaware Center for Maternal and Fetal Medicine and one of the co-authors of the guideline. "However, there is evidence that bed rest can be harmful for moms, babies, and families."
About one in five women are placed on bed rest during their pregnancy. Surveys have shown that both ob/gyns and maternal-fetal medicine specialists prescribe activity restriction and bed rest, even though most of the physicians surveyed do not expect that doing so will actually improve pregnancy outcomes.
Restriction of activity in pregnancy is also known as "bed rest," or "modified bed rest" and has been recommended for a number of potential complications such as preterm (before 37 weeks gestation) contractions, a dilated cervix from preterm labor, a short cervix, preterm premature rupture of membranes (water breaking before 37 weeks gestation and before the onset of labor), elevated blood pressure, preeclampsia, inadequate growth of baby, placenta previa, risk of miscarriage, multiple gestations (e.g. twin pregnancies), and others.
In the guideline, the Society points out that bed rest has not been shown to reduce the chance of preterm delivery in women either at risk or already experiencing preterm labor. One study found that preterm birth was more common in women already at risk of preterm birth when they were placed on any type of work or non-work related activity restriction, both at home and in the hospital. There is also no data indicating that activity restriction is of benefit for any obstetric condition.
Inadequate growth of the baby is often attributed to problems with blood flow to the placenta and activity restriction or bed rest is often prescribed in an effort to improve placental blood flow. Again, studies fail to show a benefit to this practice.
While there is no evidence the bed rest improves outcomes, there are several potentially harmful side effects. It's widely known though that extended periods of activity restriction can result in muscle and bone loss. This "deconditioning" happens to pregnant and non-pregnant individuals. Changes can occur after only a few days of immobility and there is not a lot of information on the full impact these changes have in pregnant women.
Bed rest may also increase risk of developing blood clots in the legs (deep venous thrombosis, or DVT) and movement of clots to the lungs (pulmonary embolism, or PE). Such clots are more common among pregnant women, and limiting physical activity may compound these risks.
Lack of movement may also increase a woman's risk of gestational diabetes, or GDM. The Society notes that being admitted to the hospital for pregnancy-related complications has been associated with a higher risk of GDM, although more studies are needed. Elevated levels of blood sugar commonly occur in non-pregnant patients placed on activity restriction.
In addition to the potential negative physical effects associated with activity restriction during pregnancy, there is also an increased risk of anxiety and depression, adverse psychological effects on the family, loss of income, and lower birth weights.
In summary, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine notes that the practice of activity restriction or bed rest has very little evidence to support a benefit for mother or infant, but has well-described negative effects on the mother, newborn and the family.
INFORMATION:
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine recommends against the routine use of activity restriction or bed rest during pregnancy for any indication. To read the full paper, go to https://www.smfm.org/publications/173-activity-restriction-in-pregnancy.
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (est. 1977) is the premiere membership organization for obstetricians/gynecologists who have additional formal education and training in maternal-fetal medicine. The society is devoted to reducing high-risk pregnancy complications by sharing expertise through continuing education to its 2,000 members on the latest pregnancy assessment and treatment methods. It also serves as an advocate for improving public policy, and expanding research funding and opportunities for maternal-fetal medicine. The group hosts an annual meeting in which groundbreaking new ideas and research in the area of maternal-fetal medicine are shared and discussed. For more information visit http://www.smfm.org.
SMFM releases paper on activity restriction in pregnancy
Physicians recommend against the routine use of activity restriction or bed rest
2014-09-02
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
How genes link a mother's diet to the risk of obesity in her offspring
2014-09-02
Many research studies have made it clear that a mother's eating habits prior to pregnancy, during pregnancy and during lactation have a profound impact on her offspring and their propensity for developing weight problems, including obesity. However, until now, the mechanisms behind this phenomenon were unclear. According to new research published in the September 2014 issue of The FASEB JournalF, scientists using an animal model found an epigenetic link between a mother's diet and an offspring's risk of future obesity. This link hinges on the blocked expression of a gene ...
Scripps Florida scientists make diseased cells synthesize their own drug
2014-09-02
JUPITER, FL, September 2, 2014 – In a new study that could ultimately lead to many new medicines, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have adapted a chemical approach to turn diseased cells into unique manufacturing sites for molecules that can treat a form of muscular dystrophy.
"We're using a cell as a reaction vessel and a disease-causing defect as a catalyst to synthesize a treatment in a diseased cell," said TSRI Professor Matthew Disney.
"Because the treatment is synthesized only in diseased cells, the compounds could provide ...
Mirabegron for overactive bladder: Added benefit not proven
2014-09-02
Mirabegron (trade name: Betmiga) has been approved since December 2012 for the treatment of adults with overactive bladder. In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether this new drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy specified by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA).
Mirabegron had an advantage with regard to side effects: Dry mouth was less common in comparison with tolterodine. No added ...
Giant garbage patches help redefine ocean boundaries
2014-09-02
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 2, 2014 – The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an area of environmental concern between Hawaii and California where the ocean surface is marred by scattered pieces of plastic, which outweigh plankton in that part of the ocean and pose risks to fish, turtles and birds that eat the trash. Scientists believe the garbage patch is but one of at least five, each located in the center of large, circular ocean currents called gyres that suck in and trap floating debris.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), in Sydney, Australia, ...
New method for non-invasive prostate cancer screening
2014-09-02
WASHINGTON D.C., Sept. 2, 2014 – Cancer screening is a critical approach for preventing cancer deaths because cases caught early are often more treatable. But while there are already existing ways to screen for different types of cancer, there is a great need for even more safe, cheap and effective methods to save even more lives.
Now a team of researchers led by Shaoxin Li at Guangdong Medical College in China has demonstrated the potential of a new, non-invasive method to screen for prostate cancer, a common type of cancer in men worldwide. They describe their laboratory ...
Scientists create renewable fossil fuel alternative using bacteria
2014-09-02
The development is a step towards commercial production of a source of fuel that could one day provide an alternative to fossil fuels.
Propane is an appealing source of cleaner fuel because it has an existing global market. It is already produced as a by-product during natural gas processing and petroleum refining, but both are finite resources. In its current form it makes up the bulk of LPG (liquid petroleum gas), which is used in many applications, from central heating to camping stoves and conventional motor vehicles.
In a new study, the team of scientists from ...
A handsome face could mean lower semen quality
2014-09-02
Contrary to what one might expect, facial masculinity was negatively associated with semen quality in a recent Journal of Evolutionary Biology study. As increased levels of testosterone have been demonstrated to impair sperm production, this finding may indicate a trade-off between investments in secondary sexual signaling (i.e. facial masculinity) and fertility.
Interestingly, males estimated facial images generally more attractive than females did, suggesting that males may generally overestimate the attractiveness of other men to females.
INFORMATION: END ...
Underwater grass comeback bodes well for Chesapeake Bay
2014-09-02
CAMBRIDGE, MD (September 2, 2014)—The Susquehanna Flats, a large bed of underwater grasses near the mouth of the Susquehanna River, virtually disappeared from the upper Chesapeake Bay after Tropical Storm Agnes more than 40 years ago. However, the grasses mysteriously began to come back in the early 2000s. Today, the bed is one of the biggest and healthiest in the Bay, spanning some 20 square miles. A new study by scientists at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science explores what's behind this major comeback.
"This is a story about resilience," said ...
Men who exercise less likely to wake up to urinate
2014-09-02
MAYWOOD, Ill – Men who are physically active are at lower risk of nocturia (waking up at night to urinate), according to a study led by a Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine researcher.
The study by Kate Wolin, ScD, and colleagues is published online ahead of print in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Nocturia is the most common and bothersome lower urinary tract symptom in men. It can be due to an enlarged prostate known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) -- as the prostate ...
Observing the onset of a magnetic substorm
2014-09-02
Magnetic substorms, the disruptions in geomagnetic activity that cause brightening of aurora, may sometimes be driven by a different process than generally thought, a new study in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics shows.
Hwang et al. report observations using the Cluster spacecraft and ground-based magnetometers associated with the onset of a substorm. They saw two consecutive sudden jumps in the current sheet normal component of the magnetic field in the plasma sheet (the surface of dense plasma that lies approximately in Earth's equatorial plane), separated ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Osteoporosis treatment benefits people older than 80
Consuming more protein may protect patients taking anti-obesity drug from muscle loss
Thyroid treatment may improve gut health in people with hypothyroidism
Combination of obesity medication tirzepatide and menopause hormone therapy fuels weight loss
High blood sugar may have a negative impact on men’s sexual health
Emotional health of parents tied to well-being of children with growth hormone deficiency
Oxytocin may reduce mood changes in women with disrupted sleep
Mouse study finds tirzepatide slowed obesity-associated breast cancer growth
CMD-OPT model enables the discovery of a potent and selective RIPK2 inhibitor as preclinical candidate for the treatment of acute liver injury
Melatonin receptor 1a alleviates sleep fragmentation-aggravated testicular injury in T2DM by suppression of TAB1/TAK1 complex through FGFR1
Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals Shen-Bai-Jie-Du decoction retards colorectal tumorigenesis by regulating the TMEM131–TNF signaling pathway-mediated differentiation of immunosuppressive dendritic ce
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B Volume 15, Issue 7 Publishes
New research expands laser technology
Targeted radiation offers promise in patients with metastasized small cell lung cancer to the brain
A high clinically translatable strategy to anti-aging using hyaluronic acid and silk fibroin co-crosslinked hydrogels as dermal regenerative fillers
Mount Sinai researchers uncover differences in how males and females change their mind when reflecting on past mistakes
CTE and normal aging are difficult to distinguish, new study finds
Molecular arms race: How the genome defends itself against internal enemies
Tiny chip speeds up antibody mapping for faster vaccine design
KTU experts reveal why cultural heritage is important for community unity
More misfolded proteins than previously known may contribute to Alzheimer’s and dementia
“Too much going on”: Autistic adults overwhelmed by non-verbal social cues
What’s driving America’s deep freezes in a warming world?
A key role of brain protein in learning and memory is deciphered by scientists
Heart attacks don’t follow a Hollywood script
Erin M. Schuman wins 2026 Nakasone Award for discovery on neural synapse function and change during formation of memories
Global ocean analysis could replace costly in-situ sound speed profiles in seafloor positioning, study finds
Power in numbers: Small group professional coaching reduces rates of physician burnout by nearly 30%
Carbon capture, utilization, and storage: A comprehensive review of CCUS-EOR
New high-temperature stable dispersed particle gel for enhanced profile control in CCUS applications
[Press-News.org] SMFM releases paper on activity restriction in pregnancyPhysicians recommend against the routine use of activity restriction or bed rest