Coping with Bed Rest

Of the estimated 4 million women who give birth each year in the U.S., some 700,000—or nearly 20 percent—will have been advised to stay on bed rest either in their home or in the hospital. Despite research questioning its effectiveness, and even delineating potential harms, bed rest is commonly recommended for complications in pregnancy, particularly for preterm labor. This is especially true for women who have had previous preterm labor, have given birth prematurely in the past or for women with multiple gestations. Until research definitely resolves the question surrounding the efficacy of bed rest, nurses have an obligation to help women coping with bed rest thrive and flourish in a very challenging situation.