Thesis Statement: Although bed rest is a recommended treatment by many obstetricians to prevent preterm birth, there are physical and psychosocial risks, such as the formation of blood clots or increased emotional stress, which may outweigh the benefits to this method of therapy.
I. Introduction
A. Point
B. point
II. Bed rest has been a form of therapy to treat complicated pregnancies since the 1800’s.
A. Physicians questioned the value of bed rest during World War II after noting that wounded soldiers who were immobilized developed weakness of the muscles and excessive calcium excretion, while those that returned to the field out of necessity recovered more quickly (Maloni, 2011).
B. The effectiveness of activity restriction in pregnancy …show more content…
The only benefit was decrease in number of birth weight <2500g, suggesting that bed rest may be beneficial in this population (Habeker & Sciscione, 2014)
IX. In the setting of gestational hypertensive disorders, including pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia
A. Pregnancy-induced hypertension is the onset of high blood pressure before 20 weeks gestation.
B. Preeclampsia is characterized by persistent high blood pressures during pregnancy associated with proteinuria or the new development of decreased blood platelets, trouble with the kidney or liver, fluid in the lungs, or signs of brain trouble such as seizures and/or visual disturbances at 20 weeks gestation or later (Preeclampsia Foundation, 2013).
C. Many obstetricians theorize that bed rest may improve blood flow to the placenta (Bigelow & Stone, 2011).
D. Because SBP is higher when standing upright, lying supine would lower pressures and improve symptoms (Bigelow & Stone, 2011).
E. Some authors suggest diuretic effect of bed rest may be useful in GHTN, but not preeclampsia, but not well studied (Bigelow & Stone, 2011).
F. In non-proteinuric HTN, study of 218 pts showed a 42% reduced risk of severe HTN; findings should be confirmed with a larger study (McCall, Grimes, & Lyerly,
I. Introduction
A. Point
B. point
II. Bed rest has been a form of therapy to treat complicated pregnancies since the 1800’s.
A. Physicians questioned the value of bed rest during World War II after noting that wounded soldiers who were immobilized developed weakness of the muscles and excessive calcium excretion, while those that returned to the field out of necessity recovered more quickly (Maloni, 2011).
B. The effectiveness of activity restriction in pregnancy …show more content…
The only benefit was decrease in number of birth weight <2500g, suggesting that bed rest may be beneficial in this population (Habeker & Sciscione, 2014)
IX. In the setting of gestational hypertensive disorders, including pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia
A. Pregnancy-induced hypertension is the onset of high blood pressure before 20 weeks gestation.
B. Preeclampsia is characterized by persistent high blood pressures during pregnancy associated with proteinuria or the new development of decreased blood platelets, trouble with the kidney or liver, fluid in the lungs, or signs of brain trouble such as seizures and/or visual disturbances at 20 weeks gestation or later (Preeclampsia Foundation, 2013).
C. Many obstetricians theorize that bed rest may improve blood flow to the placenta (Bigelow & Stone, 2011).
D. Because SBP is higher when standing upright, lying supine would lower pressures and improve symptoms (Bigelow & Stone, 2011).
E. Some authors suggest diuretic effect of bed rest may be useful in GHTN, but not preeclampsia, but not well studied (Bigelow & Stone, 2011).
F. In non-proteinuric HTN, study of 218 pts showed a 42% reduced risk of severe HTN; findings should be confirmed with a larger study (McCall, Grimes, & Lyerly,