A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 2 trials of uncertain quality including 106 nulliparous women with a singleton pregnancy at moderate risk of pre-eclampsia from 28 to 32 weeks' gestation. There was a reduction in the relative risk of pre-eclampsia with 4 to 6 hours rest per day (1 trial, 32 women; RR 0.05, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.83), but not of gestational hypertension (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.03 to 2.00), compared to normal activity. Rest of 30 minutes per day plus nutritional supplementation was associated with a reduction in the risk of pre-eclampsia (1 trial, 74 women; RR 0.13, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.51) and also of gestational hypertension (RR 0.15, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.63).
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by limitations in study quality, by imprecise results (few patients and wide confidence intervals) and by inconsistency (heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes).
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