Scoliosis & Women

[rainbow2010]

"I actually did a thorough medical literature search in the National Library of Medicine for an obstetrician I work for regarding scoliosis and delivery.
There was absolutely no connection between scoliosis and a difficult delivery. Theoretically, if a mother's scoliosis was so severe that she had breathing issues, then that would impact labor necessitating a c/section.

Regarding epidurals: if there is space below the fusion successful spinals and epidurals have been performed. If the lumbar curve is significant then the anesthetic drug might not spread correctly resulting in a less satisfactory anesthetic.

Regarding corsets: people(grandparents' generation) wore corsets for fashoin not necessarily for scoliosis."

Karen -
One sign of scoliosis is uneven pelvic bone (I've been trained to screen for scoliosis). This can cause problems during delivery. As for an epidural - I was unable to have one because of the way my fusion was done. They shaved off the bumps and fused the bone over that. An xray had to be taken because of the position my daughter was in and the doctor tried to give me one, but couldn't find the space because of the bone and my rod (he checked the xray also). It had also been about 15 years after my fusion when I had my children. About corsets...yes, they were worn for fashion. My grandmother started around age 11 and wore hers for the rest of her life. They contained whale bone stays and some had metal stays. These acted like a brace in that her body could only grow in the shape of her corset. She only took hers off to bathe.

[Megan_aust]

I was 14 when I started my period and diagnosed with scoliosis age 12. I have noticed in a few scoliosis studies that the researchers had noted that it was a 'coincidence' that women with scoliosis had a lower body mass index (meaning that they were skinnier) than the average woman. Personally, I think that the short stature and slim build are part of a genetic makeup that is associated with vulnerability to scoliosis.

[sweetness514]

I was diagnosed at 12 and had my period at 14 and a half(almost 15). I was very skinny, and my bones were very small, even when I was 20 I was told that my bones were of a 12 year old. Didn't gain weight until surgery at 26.

[ashleym8118]

I had my first period when I was 14, almost 15, and was actually surprised because my bones are very small and I have always been underweight (but healthy). I've heard before about the correlation between smaller built women and scoliosis, and have noticed that many people I know who have even mild scoliosis are smaller.

[hypobellum]

I got diagnosed when I was 14 or so, and didn't get my 1st period till I was 15. After the first period, I didn't have another period until AFTER surgery(about 7 months later). Right after surgery, I got my period and ever since it's been regular. That's interesting.

[macky]

I too, did not start my period until after surgery, I was 16 at the time. I was also of very slight build. Funnily enough I wore one of those whale bone corsets for 6 months, as part of my treatment for scoliosis, after I had the operation.

Macky

[ecnw]

I think that until there's an actual gene linking scoliosis, many
"theories" will be floating about. In my family it seemed to skip a few generations, I had it, then passed it right on to my kids, a girl and a boy. We are all of different body mass, so I don't buy into that having anything to do with it.
When it comes to child birth, as long as the doctor's aware, everything should go fine. I even delivered my daughter breech.
Emily

[sparks42]

oh you lucky lucky people.....
i have scoliosis.....but i started menstruating when I was only 9 !!!!!

[curvycakes]

I was diagnosed with very mild scoliosis sometime during the 5th grade...so I would have been about 10 years old. I started my period two years after that and the scoliosis worsened.
I've heard a lot of things about menstrual cycles/scoliosis though! I've noticed that during the week of my period, my rib hump is more noticeable. Kind of weird but interesting at the same time.

[Danihenson]

I had my first monthly on my 13th birthday. I began to develop scoliosis when I was 25 ( I wasnt told about it until this last Feburary 2008). I am now 28yrs old. I have no family history of Scoliosis. So far my doctors cannot find a cause.

Yours,
Dani

[txmarinemom]

I've noticed that during the week of my period, my rib hump is more noticeable. Kind of weird but interesting at the same time.

There's really no medical explanation for this unless you're just more tired during menses and your posture is more lax. When posture is poor, your rib hump will most likely become more obvious.

Progesterone (the hormone that makes the body more loose during pregnancy - a contributing factor to why some curves progress during pregnancy) levels are at their lowest during menstruation, so there's not a hormone connection I can ascertain.

Regards,
Pam

[txmarinemom]

Difficult deliveries and scoli ...

I actually did a thorough medical literature search in the National Library of Medicine for an obstetrician I work for regarding scoliosis and delivery. There was absolutely no connection between scoliosis and a difficult delivery. Theoretically, if a mother's scoliosis was so severe that she had breathing issues, then that would impact labor necessitating a c/section.

I had my first child in 2-1/2 hours (the only thing that slowed him down is he was "sunny side up" ... head down, but face up). I dilated from 3-8 cm in 15 minutes and stopped for a short while (maybe 30-45 minutes) only because of his position. Once he turned, I swear you could have heard the *THUNK* as he dropped, and was out in 3 pushes.

My daughter (born 22 months later) was scheduled. After my son, I seriously feared sneezing her out - or giving birth on the side of the freeway. An epidural slowed my labor down with her (hah!) to 3-1/2 hours.

My curve with both deliveries was ± what it was when I had surgery ... about 53°.

BTW, I was dx at age 10 with JIS (it was termed plain ol' AIS in 1979 - LOL), and started my period at age 14. I am very small boned.

My almost 19 year old daughter, however, was diagnosed with a mild lumbar curve at about age 13, at least 4 years after she started her period at age 9 (and trust me ... I was looking). She is NOT small boned.

Regards,
Pam

[SIsForSarah]

I wasn't diagnosed with scoliosis until I was 14 - three months before my surgery! No one ever checked me for it until I had back pain and when they finally x-rayed me, the curve was at 47 degrees. I hadn't gotten my period yet - in fact, one of the reasons the doctor decided to send me for an x-ray, was because I hadn't gotten my period yet (she felt that late menses and scoliosis were connected). It was also one of the reasons they scheduled me for surgery so quickly. I ended up getting my first period 4 months after surgery. This was in 1990, so all these views on scoliosis may be outdated. I am also small-boned and thin and based on studies they were doing on scoliosis back then (on ballerinas and gymnasts) this was considered the typical body type for scoliosis. Again, I do realize these are outdated views on scoliosis, but this is what I was told at the time.

[debbei]

I was 14.5 yrs old when I got my period, and one month later was diagnosed. Although, when first diagnosed my double curve was in the high 30's and the other cuve in the low 40's. So I probably had it for quite some time.

[Eleanor :)]

I started my period when I was 13, and I was diagnosed with Scoliosis at age 15.