Bed rest during pregnancy could harm your baby: 'Putting your feet up increases risk of blood clots, diabetes, depression and having a smaller newborn,' warn experts

Bed rest can increase an expectant mothers' risk of blood clots, depression, diabetes and having babies with a lower birth weight

Figures show around a fifth of pregnant mothers are told to put their feet up

But Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in the U.S. is warning against it  

Bed rest could put expectant mothers and their unborn babies at risk, new research suggests.

Figures show around a fifth of pregnant women are told to put their feet up while they are expecting.

It is commonly recommended for women who have suffered premature contractions, high blood pressure or their waters breaking early. 

But a new study has found the period of inactivity could raise their risk of muscle and bone loss, blood clots, diabetes, depression or anxiety, as well as other harmful side effects.

And the team of researchers noted the practise could affect a baby's birth weight, resulting in smaller newborns.

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Bed rest could put expectant mothers at risk of muscle and bone loss, diabetes, depression and blood clots, experts have warned

The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in the U.S. has warned against prescribing bed rest for expectant mothers.

Dr Anthony Sciscione, director of the Delaware Centre for Maternal and Fetal Medicine said: 'There is no evidence bed rest improves outcomes. 

'However there is evidence bed rest can be harmful for moms, babies and families.'

Surveys have shown obstetricians, gynaecologists and maternal-foetal medicine specialists prescribe bed rest even though most do not expect it will actually improve pregnancy outcomes.

It is sometimes recommended for a dilated cervix from premature labour, a short cervix, pre-eclampsia, inadequate growth of baby and the risk of miscarriage.

 

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But the Society has pointed out that bed rest is not proven to reduce the chance of premature delivery in women either at risk or already experiencing early labour.

One study found women out on bed rest were more likely to have their baby prematurely. 

And there is no data indicating restricting activity is beneficial for any obstetric condition.

Having a small baby is often blamed on problems with blood flow to the placenta and bed rest is often prescribed in an effort to boost placental blood flow.

But again, experts say, studies have failed to back up this theory. 

While there is no evidence the bed rest improves outcomes, there are several potentially harmful side effects.

It's widely known though that extended periods of activity restriction can result in muscle and bone loss.

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The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in the U.S. has also warned periods of inactivity in pregnancy could also lead to lower birth weight in babies 

This 'deconditioning' happens to pregnant and non-pregnant women, changes can occur after only a few days of immobility.

Bed rest may also increase risk of developing blood clots in the legs and movement of clots to the lungs. 

Such clots are more common among pregnant women - and limiting physical activity may compound these risks.

Lack of movement may also increase a woman's risk of gestational diabetes. 

The Society said being admitted to the hospital for pregnancy-related complications has been associated with a higher risk of this condition.

Elevated levels of blood sugar commonly occur in non-pregnant patients placed on activity restriction.

Bed rest also increases the risk of anxiety and depression, adverse psychological effects on the family, loss of income and lower birth weights.

Summing up the Society said the practice has very little evidence to support a benefit for mother or infant - but has well-described negative effects on the mother, newborn and the family.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2742219/Bed-rest-pregnancy-harm-baby-Putting-feet-increases-risk-blood-clots-diabetes-depression-having-smaller-newborn-warn-experts.html#ixzz3CH29bHdj 
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CDC: Diabetes amputations falling dramatically

Foot and leg amputations were once a fairly common fate for diabetics, but new government research shows a dramatic decline in limbs lost to the disease, probably due to better treatments.

The rate has fallen by more than half since the mid-1990s, according to what is being called the most comprehensive study of the trend.

For older diabetics, amputations dropped from more than 11 to about 4 per 1,000 people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday.

Other diabetes studies have shown declines in lost toes, feet and legs, but not as dramatic.

"What jumped out to me was the scale of the improvement," said Dr. John Buse, a University of North Carolina diabetes expert who was not involved in the new study.

The study was released Tuesday by the medical journal Diabetes Care.

Diabetes is a disease in which sugar builds up in the blood. Roughly 1 in 10 U.S. adults has it, and it is the seventh leading cause of death, the CDC says.

Complications include poor circulation and nerve damage in the lower limbs, resulting in numbness and slow healing of sores and infections. That's most common in elderly patients and those with diabetes for at least 10 years.

While diabetes has been growing more common in the United States - driven by obesity-related Type 2 - researchers have noted recent declines in some of the other most dreaded complications, including blindness and kidney failure.

Buse recalled seeing such problems constantly when he first became director of UNC's Diabetes Care Center in the mid-1990s.

"Pretty much every minute of every day in the waiting room, there would be somebody missing a limb, or with a seeing eye dog or white cane," he said.

But he hasn't seen a patient like that in his waiting room for a few years, he added.

In the CDC study, the researchers checked national hospital discharge records for 1988 through 2008, looking for patients aged 40 and older who had lost a toe, foot or leg to diabetes.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/25/cdc-diabetes-amputations-falling-dramatically/#ixzz1kUZxdZR6