The recommendation for bed rest in the setting of arrested preterm labor and premature rupture of membranes.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to estimate practice patterns regarding bed rest in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and arrested preterm labor.


METHODS
This was a mail-based survey of all Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine members in the United States asking whether they would recommend bed rest in the setting of arrested preterm labor or PPROM at 26 weeks. Bed rest was defined as no more than 1-2 hours per day out of bed, with permitted activities including bathroom use, bathing, and brief ambulation inside the home/hospital.


RESULTS
Seventy-one percent and 87% would recommend bed rest for women with cervical dilation and arrested preterm labor and women with PPROM, respectively, even though the majority believed bed rest was associated with minimal or no benefit. Female sex, nonacademic practice, and practice location in the South or West were independently associated with the recommendation for bed rest.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the belief that bed rest is associated with minimal or no benefit, most maternal-fetal medicine specialists recommend bed rest for arrested preterm labor and PPROM. Randomized, prospective trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of bed rest in these settings.
Fox
Nathan S
NS
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. nfox@mfmnyc.com
Gelber
Shari E
SE
Kalish
Robin B
RB
Chasen
Stephen T
ST
D000328:Adult; D001510:Bed Rest; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000628:therapy*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011364:Professional Practice