Bed Rest for Hypertension in Pregnancy Not Backed

[jen44]

Bed Rest for Hypertension in Pregnancy Not Backed by Strong Evidence

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/515315/

[jen44]

The important bits of the article says:

"Two of the studies involved 145 hospitalized women diagnosed with pre-eclampsia — hypertension in which the urine contains an abnormal amount of protein. Some women also had chronic hypertension. The studies compared strict bed rest with partial bed rest. The researchers found no significant differences in severe maternal hypertension or in untoward birth outcomes between groups.

The other two studies involved 304 women with either pregnancy-induced or chronic hypertension but without protein in the urine. The studies showed a reduced risk of severe hypertension and a borderline reduction of risk of preterm delivery for women accepting some rest compared to those undertaking normal activities. Other outcomes were comparable for both groups."

[laura]

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051018-083021-7804r

Here's another one, from the UK, I think. This is what our docs on the Medical Board have been telling us for a while, but sometimes it is reassuring to *do* something about it!

[rachel a]

Yep, even our experts agree that bedrest is-- at best-- controversial, if not effective. http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10150

However, having been a bedrester and knowing quite a few here...I'll stick to my guns and say..."It got me to 32-weeks gestation. I sincerely believe that without bedrest, I would have delivered my son much sooner.

While I agree that bedrest (especially started early) can be a financial and physical burden, I would gladly do it all over again.

Thanks for the article Jennifer!! I added it to my list of favorites!

[rachel a]

And, I agree with Laura. It is better to "do" something about it, even if the "doing" is (ETA-following word)NOT backed by medical evidence. With a disease that is so, "out of our hands," it's better to feel like we're taking control of something. And for a few of us, we sincerely believe we got the desired result!

[jenandtheboys]

Same here....I believe bedrest got me to 27 and 5 with Ethan, and that it made all the difference in his outcome. He was estimated at less than 500 grams when I went onto bedrest, and the docs didn't expect us to make it for long and were already trying to prepare us that Ethan wouldn't make it. .....but you know how that turned out, and I credit it to bedrest and willpower! [:)]

Interesting article, though. THanks for sharing!

[jen44]

I just have a hard time believing that bed rest isn't helpful. I was hospitalized on strict bedrest at 32 weeks (had already been on modified bed rest for two months) and at 35 weeks my doctor let me out on a "day pass" to go home for an afternoon because I had been relatively stable and by the time I returned to the hospital that night, my BP had sky rocketed to new levels and the next day they found a higher level of protein in my urine than ever before (still not at the PE level but higher) and within days I had to be induced. Just that little bit of movement - getting dressed and walking from the car into the house and up the stairs, and back to the hospital - put me over the edge. So how can bed rest not be considered effective?

[rachel a]

I think it's fair to note that "considerable testing" has not been done on the effectiveness of bedrest and it has been noted there are minimal (however minor) benefits to the chronic hypertension folks and in possibly delaying the inevitable.

I'm with you though! Those of us that have done bedrest and had successful outcomes believe that it is effective!

[missgamecock]

I amalso a believer in bedrest. As much as a burden as it was and how much I hated it, bedrest got me to 35 weeks. Otherwise I would have delivered at 31 or 32 weeks.

[lorelei]

Count me to the bedrest believers club. I KNOW w/out a shadow of a doubt that bedrest is what got me thru 13 weeks. I could get up and bp skyrocket. As long as I was down I was fine....(prayer helped too I am sure)

I can't imagine my outcome had my dr not put me on bedrest and I had delivered at 24 weeks....