How important is Left side

nursepotter05, RN · May 1, 2005

Left side is what the OB text book said.

KJRN79 · May 1, 2005

How important is it to lay on your left side when resting? I have a friend who insists her midwife told her it was a semi wives tale. She is having a little PIH and may have PIH.
I know when I was on bed rest for this, it was a must!

It's what I learned eons ago and I've seen it work the best. You can lie on the right for a while, but the BP and fetal heart rate are usually better when left-sidelying.

NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN · May 2, 2005

If she lies on her right side the baby can come to rest on and compress the vena cava and abdominal aorta. It would impede the flow of oxygenated blood to the rest of the body (and the baby). It would also impede venous return thus increasing her BP.

nursescar · May 2, 2005

How important is it to lay on your left side when resting? I have a friend who insists her midwife told her it was a semi wives tale. She is having a little PIH and may have PIH.
I know when I was on bed rest for this, it was a must!

that's a little distrubing if her midwife told her that. It has been my experience that

CNMs are very up on safety issues and the like. IS she a CNM? Many times they are the first to pick up on something because they are so intune to all aspects of the women's health.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · May 2, 2005

I have also heaqrd that the left vrs right is a nonissue, so long as they are off their back.

babyktchr, BSN, RN · May 2, 2005

I have also heaqrd that the left vrs right is a nonissue, so long as they are off their back.

Off the back is what you want to do...doesn't really matter which side. There was a study a while back...pregnant women who had swan ganz catheters in...and they measure CO on both sides and actually found the right side was a hair bit higher than on the left. I haven't seen anything written on it since that. Just stay off the back.

AlaskaKat · May 3, 2005

AWHONN says it doesn't matter which side - just not on the back.

imenid37 · May 3, 2005

I agree w/ either side. In the late 1980's some studies were done out in Utah where pregnant (and apparently crazy) moms let researchers insert PA catheters and check the readings in left, right, and supine positions. The best readings were actually when the moms were on the right side. I have seen either side give improved BP readings.

parteiranagua · May 3, 2005

If she lies on her right side the baby can come to rest on and compress the vena cava and abdominal aorta. It would impede the flow of oxygenated blood to the rest of the body (and the baby). It would also impede venous return thus increasing her BP.

Agree, hence the uterine arteries irrigating the uterus and placenta do not have as much blood to irrigate the placenta, it also increases renal perfusion therefore decreasing BP especially in the case of preeclampsia or hypertension.

Ginny Doula RN SNM

SmilingBluEyes · May 3, 2005

Left side positioning increases Renal Blood flow, kidney filtration and efficiency. So I would say, it DOES matter. Right-sided positioning is not as effective in doing this.

parteiranagua · May 3, 2005

Left side positioning increases Renal Blood flow, kidney filtration and efficiency. So I would say, it DOES matter. Right-sided positioning is not as effective in doing this.

well yeah!!! did I say something else?? LOLL Ginny