Bed Rest for Threatened Preterm Labor. Pilot Study

Bed Rest for Arrested Threatened Preterm Labor. Pilot Study for the Design of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

The aim of the pilot trial is to assess at what extend women with arrested threatened preterm labor change their activity patterns at home in response to bed rest prescription. An area of concern for the design of a trial is the strength of health provider's recommendation to change women's behaviors, and their compliance with bed rest recommendations. The study was a randomized parallel design. The intervention group consisted of total bed rest for four days (with allowance to go to the toilet). The control group consisted in the restriction of activities during four days.

The woman assigned to the bed rest group, will be instructed to keep in bed for the study period of four days and will be allowed to go to the toilet

Women assigned to activity restriction group will do the restriction of activities during four days.During the activity restriction phase the women will be allowed to ambulate at home, work at home (home office), child care, household tasks, meal preparation or any forceless activities.

The outcome was the amount of activity. In order to measure the outcome, we used: a) an accelerometer which was delivered to the woman at home and b) a diary record that the woman fulfilled during the study.

Inclusion Criteria: Every woman admitted to hospital during the antenatal period because of an episode of TPL. If the attending physician decides that the woman is ready for hospital discharge the woman will be eligible for the study. Exclusion criteria: Multiple pregnancy Premature rupture of membranes Cervical cerclage and whenever the attendant physician considers that the woman is not eligible to be randomized to bed rest or activity restriction.