During pregnancy, bed rest may be prescribed for many reasons, including preeclampsia, cervical shortening/weakness, premature rupture of membranes, placenta previa and, most commonly, preterm labor. However, the definition of "bed rest" isn't always clear.

"There are different degrees of bed rest," says Shari Criso, certified nurse midwife and owner of The Birth Boutique in New Jersey (www.birthboutique.com). "It is important for a woman to get clarification and fully understand why she is being prescribed bed rest, what are the specific limitations and what are the risks to her and her baby if she is noncompliant."

Dr. Seema Venkatachalam, OB/GYN at Northwestern Specialists for Women in Chicago, provides a list of basic questions every woman should ask when told to go on bed rest:

• Why am I being put on bed rest?
• How long do you think this will be necessary?
• Why do we think this will help me?
• Can I be on bed rest at home versus at the hospital?
• Does it matter whether my baby is head down versus breech? "In many cases, if the head is down, a little more leeway is given in terms of activity if the membranes are ruptured since there is less likelihood of cord prolapse," says Dr. Venkatachalam.
• Finally, perhaps the most important question: What does bed rest mean?

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.