“This is a way to reduce the activity level without having to hospitalize our patients,” he explains. high blood pressure during her pregnancy), has already had cervical changes, or has experienced mild bleeding early in her pregnancy, James says. Modified bed rest might be recommended if a woman has preeclampsia (i.e. “It can be a million different things.”ĭoctors may prescribe it for a variety of reasons. “It’s not like there’s a protocol and everyone agrees what modified bed rest is,” she says. Modified bed rest can also mean lying in bed for a few hours a day or avoiding sex, Streicher says. I encourage them to relax on the couch with limited activity.” “I like to call it ‘couch rest’-patients can get up to shower, prepare their meals, go to their doctor’s appointments, etc., but should not lift, exercise, or perform housework. “There are no specific rules,” James says. "So the term 'modified bed rest' has emerged, which is an umbrella term for restricted activity without the strict command to remain in bed."īut the definition of modified bed rest differs from doctor to doctor. "Nevertheless, there are situations where it just make sense that women limit their activities and not be engaging in exertion or strenuous exercise that could provoke bleeding or contractions," he says. And, of course, it can be life-altering if a woman suddenly has to stop working to be on strict bed rest. Jonathan Schaffir, M.D., an ob/gyn from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF that doctors are less likely to prescribe strict bed rest these days because research has found it doesn’t decrease preterm labor and can come with downsides such as increasing a woman’s risk of developing blood clots and decreasing her cardiovascular strength.
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