Bed Rest During Pregnancy: Causes and Guidelines for a Healthy Pregnancy

Reasons for bed rest during pregnancy

The doctor may recommend bed rest throughout your pregnancy and limiting your daily movements if:

• Bleeding during pregnancy

Problems in the cervix, tears in the uterus walls, and other problems in the placenta can lead to slight bleeding or spotting during pregnancy. Your doctor may recommend bed rest, in this case, to avoid complications like miscarriage.

• Low placenta placement

Medically known as the placenta previa, this condition requires you to rest well because movements can put a lot of pressure on your already low-placed placenta.

• Improper functioning of the cervix

When the muscles of your cervix are not strong enough to support the growing foetus, you are at an increased risk of miscarriage if you don’t take bed rest.

• Preeclampsia

Commonly found in many pregnant women, this is a condition where a pregnant woman shows symptoms like increased protein discharge in the urine, fluctuating blood pressure, and swelling of the feet and facial muscles. Bed rest or hospitalisation is highly recommended at this stage.

• Hyperactive lifestyle

A hyperactive lifestyle must be complemented with a nutritious meal. When this doesn’t happen, you put your foetus at great risk. Doctors advise you bed rest and a healthy meal plan if your lifestyle involves too many activities during pregnancy.

• Irregularities in blood pressure

Frequent fluctuations in your blood pressure levels should be monitored regularly, as leaving it untreated for a long time can lead to eclampsia, a high-risk blood pressure problem in pregnancy.

• Low amniotic fluid

Medically known as oligohydramnios, this condition is caused when your amniotic fluid is very low, making it highly risky for the foetus.

• More than two pregnancies

If you are carrying more than two babies in your womb (triplets, quadruplets, or more), you will be advised to take rest.

Other common reasons why you might be recommended bed rest during pregnancy are a family history of conditions like miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm labour, and gestational diabetes.