Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Can pregnancy increase curvature?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Can pregnancy increase curvature?

    I have a 20 months old son.. When I was preggers with him, I has sciatica nerve problems, and doc said maybe its from my scoli, I dont know.

    Can the curvature increase in pregnancy? I am scared to get pregnant again because of this...

    My curve is in-between 29-34 degrees as for thoratic.. lumbar state I dont know how much..

    I have a check up soon for my measurements...

  • #2
    Hi....

    Some research done long ago showed that pregnancy does not have an impact on curvature measurements. However, you'll find many women who claimed they either hand increases or that they feel like their curves increased during pregnancy.

    Regards,
    Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

    Comment


    • #3
      For me YES

      I have not seen research studies on this, but all of my doctors said that my four pregnancies DID cause my curve to worsen (Boachie, Lenke, Oro in Colorado, and Bauman here in Salt Lake). They each said basically the same thing, the hormones that help the body relax during pregnancy also relax all of the muscles in the body--the back/spine included.

      My physical therapist also talked to me at length that had I known then what I know now I could have prevented some of the worsening of the curvature. Maybe the docs wouldn't agree--but she said that I could have held my babies on the opposite hip from the curve, done exercises, and not done "stupid" things that we mothers do--hold children that are old enough not to be held while standing up, twisting while putting children into car seats, etc. I still think I would have had to have my surgery but when my children were little I always thought I was pulling muscles in my back. I did not know it was scoliosis related.

      Best of luck. Kids are worth it--but be smart and take care of your back!

      Jennifer

      Comment


      • #4
        I have no scientific PROOF, I feel that my curves definitely curved more, if not during the pregnanacy, DEFINITELY due to the delivery. I have 3 kids, all born naturally, and for a few days after delivery, I had the WORST backache of my life, I SWEAR it hurt more than when I was in the hospital for my fusion surgery. I took a few pain pills not for the pain of childbirth, but rather for my back pain. Looking back afer all these years, I'm thinking that that those are the times when my back progressed the most. Like someone said up above, the hormone that relaxes your joints so that your hips open--I think that's what made my spine more lose and progress.

        This is totally my own speculation and I never even asked the surgeons that I saw. I did see Dr. Boachie, so I'm curious what he, along with my surgeon would have said if I did ask.

        If I had been warned--would I still have had all 3 of my kids? YES, in a minute.

        Good luck in your decision.
        __________________________________________
        Debbe - 50 yrs old

        Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
        Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

        Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
        Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
        Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

        Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
        Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

        Comment


        • #5
          I remember feeling my first Pain after pregnancies...

          You are always bending and lifting with little ones....Seems like I had a baby planted on my right hip, which had a nice natural shelf, for years and years. If I tried to transfer them to the left side they would slide right off and not one of the babies ever liked that side. In retrospect, I totally agree with JenParker* in her final paragraph about learning through pt or whatever you have available to you- I should have dug in my heels (or hips) and found a way to transfer the weight around, or not carry them so much. Actually - Ix-nay on that last idea...it was worth carrying them around for years. I agree with all the ladies on that one and would do it again and again, as I did.

          * JenParker, how in the heck are ya, anyway?

          Amy
          Amy
          58 yrs old, diagnosed at 31, never braced
          Measured T-64, L-65 in 2009
          Measured T-57, L-56 in 2010, different doc
          2 lumbar levels spondylolisthesis
          Exercising to correct

          Comment


          • #6
            I vote "yes" based on experience. Before any pregnancy, my thoracic curve was almost non-existant, and my lumbar curve was in the 30's. I could tell some difference after my first pregnancy. I didn't notice any change with my 2nd or 3rd. With my 4th pregnancy, my spine went wild and became noticably worse, and worse still w/my 5th. By the time I saw Dr. Tribus, my thoracic curve was 86*, and my lumbar curve was certainly worse than pre-preg, but not nearly as bad as my thoracic curve.

            My mother, who had severe scoliosis said the same thing - her curves were not very noticeable until she had children (at ages 37 and 38).

            But. . .the kids were worth it. . .at least I think so most days.
            Fused T-3 to L-3, Aug 25
            Hardware removal surgery, Nov 2, 2010
            Fused T-10 to L-2, osteotomy, Feb 22, 2011

            Comment


            • #7
              I'm doing great!

              Just because you asked I'll post here in this same thread. I am doing great! Just had my 6 month check-up and the doctor thinks I might already be all fused (how does he know? I don't have any idea).

              I hope my post wasn't negative. Like others said, most days I'm 100% grateful for my kids although in some ways they may have "stepped on a crack and broke their mother's back."

              I like the post about the kids only "fitting" on one hip. That was totally me--and it was the wrong hip according the the physical therapist. But, it doesn't seem like it would have worked on the other hip--I didn't really have a hip there if that makes sense.

              My advice is to educate yourself as well as you can about your own condition and realize that some things are up to genetics and will happen anyway.

              Jennifer

              Comment


              • #8
                My vote is yes, too. Had to have physical therapy for back pain 6-12 months after both deliveries. Back went from 55* to 68* in 18 months with second child (girl). Oddly, it didn't increase with my first child (boy).

                Evelyn
                age 48
                80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
                Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
                Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
                Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
                Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

                Comment

                Working...
                X