Scoliosis and Pregnancy

[ishtar]

Just wondering ladies, any of you have scoliosis like me?

My back is shaped like a twisted S. So my ribs are all wonky, one shoulder higher than the other, one hip bigger than the other, one leg longer than the other (yeah I know, sounds delightful doesn't it).

I asked my doctor if I had anything to worry about, and he just said ''no''.

Very reassuring, yes? Of course this is a funny doctor, his advice has been in the form of ''don't go sky-diving or bungy-jumping, and no jumping on trampolines!''

Riiiight.

My back hasn't really been giving me any more trouble now than before I got pregnant, and I did worry if the 'space' in there was ok for the little one. I just hope I'm not too crooked to push it out eventually!

So, scoliosis anyone? And if so, maybe your doctor told you more about it and pregnancy than I got told?

 

[ishtar]

No one?

Well, that's a good thing, having a crooked back is a pain in the ass!

 

[Wobbles]

Bless you

sorry never heard of it x

 

[littlelady]

oooooooo ive been waiting to meet someone else who has scoliosis when i was a little girl the doctors said it would only ever cause me trouble when it comes to being pregnant im 29 weeks 2 days now and my back is starting to cause more problems my shoulders are the same as yours i cant stand straight ( if you look closely at me one shoulder is higher than the other)

what has your midwife or doctor told you about it??????

 

[ishtar]

Hi littlelady, so I'm not alone, that's good to know.
I also can't stand up straight, it feels like I'm stretching the belly too much, so I end up kind of hunched over and I instinctively put my hands under my belly like I can carry it like that.
My doctor really just dismissed any worries, said I had nothing to worry about. Although I have read that in some rare cases the scoliosis can worsen during pregnancy.
Did you have to get surgery? The braces were enough for me until I stopped growing. 23 hours a day for 2 years, such fun!
My back has been giving me problems on and off during this pregnancy, I just try to listen to it and sit down when I need to sit down or walk when I need to walk. I also can't lay too long in bed or my back will punish me for that laziness for the whole day afterwards.
The slippery sleep sheet really does help me during the night though, makes it easier to turn.
Did your doc or midwife tell you anything specific?

 

[littlelady]

nope they havent said a thing about it just when i was a little girl it will cause trouble in pregnancy which is kinda worrying as now im pregnant ive heard nothing about it.

i know what you mean laying in bed makes it worse sometimes and can never sit correct its so strange i really thought i was alone

 

[lionheart]

hi i no its been ages since anyone posted on this but im 18 and have a 3 way split spine. i was also told i needed a correction operation on my spine but diddnt want it, however now im 28 weeks pregnant and have been hold i may need a c-section because the curve at the bottom of my spine however my midwife said im being silly and the doctors was basically talking rubish i hope that the 2 of you have been fine with yr pregnancys xx

 

[Nic1107]

I have two fused vertebrae near the bottom of my spine that causes a curve in my lower back; I've never had any bracing or surgery done and I find that my back is doing just fine still in third tri. I'm a little nervous about giving birth since my hips are crooked, but my doctor told me not to worry about it. All I was told was not to gain too much weight, and that my sciatic nerve might get pretty bad- which it hasn't at all, surprisingly. I also have mild lordosis (where your back curves inward; if I lay on the ground, I can fit my arm between my mid-back and the floor!), and sometimes it does make my belly feel really stretched out; it's more comfortable when baby is closer to my back.

 

[ladypotter]

I also have scoliosis, although I don't think it is severe (I wouldn't have been able to join the military if so). I too hunch a bit and not by choice. My Grams was a hunchback by the time she was 60 so I am trying to keep my back as straight as possible to avoid that. I don't think it has affected my fertility as much. The main thing that I have been told that Scoliosis can affect is the ability to get an epidural. Depending on the curvature of the spine, it may be impossible, but I had one with my daughter.

 

[Alias]

Only just seeing this now, but I've got (mild) scoliosis as well, caused by mild spina bifida as well as another spinal problem. My consultant is most worried about my ability to get a epidural - she said even if I don't want one, they will make me see an anesthesiologist just in case I have to have one (in case of emergency section?) who can evaluate me better. My lower vertebrae are fused, so they need to see where they could put the needle in I guess. Mind you there's apparently also a big gap in my spine, hopefully they can go through it

 

[Essie]

I'm not pregnant (WTT) but I have scoliosis. Found out when I was 15, it's not severe but they did say it might cause problems during pregnancy. I was wondering if i should see my doctor about it before TTC.

 

[applelova911]

I'm currently pregnant and have a DD who is 10 years old. I have had scoliosis since I was 8 years old. I've had to wear a brace during my early teen years etc. I have it in 3 parts of my spine. I didn't have any problems as of result of it. I mean you still have your usual back aches here and there due to the pressure during the later months in pregnancy but nothing that is completely unbareable.

 

[mummypeanut]

Hi Ladies i dont have scoliosis of the spine but i do have problems with my ribs being mis-shapen. I had hyper inflated lungs when i was a child which pushed my ribs out of shape. Now i have very wonky ribs that bend in and out like a roller coaster and my breast bone broke and healed over lapped.

Im 26 weeks pregnant now and i went to the docs with bad rib pain - shes offered to sign me off until the end of the pregnancy but unfortunatly im self employed and i dont have insurance so at the moment im going to have to try and keep working but reduce my hours. She says theres nothing she can do appart from suggest i keep taking paracetamol. I was hoping physio might be able to help but she says it wont.

She's said if i consider a second pregnancy to get disability insurance so that i can be signed off as this is likely to happen again and its going to worsen before the baby is born.

Basically i suppose it depends on your individual scoliosis charactoristics but if its effected your rib cage you may find, like me, that some of your ribs are put under more pressure than others which will leave you feeling quite sore!

 

[firstimemum2b]

Hi,

I don't know if anyone is still reading this thread but I just came across it. I've just found out that I'm expecting and I have scoliosis. I had a couple of corrective procedures when I was 15 and have a rod in place and a plate and screws in the lumbar spine. I see that some of the posts are quite old. Any mums with scoliosis who've had their babies and don't mind writing about their experiences? I am worried about how the pregnancy will affect the scoliosis and vice versa but haven't had any relevant advice.
thanks!

 

[PeaceLoveBaby]

You can add me to the scoliosis train as well.

It's "mild" but I've had some back pain and muscle problems with it..you can't tell by looking at me, but if you feel my ribs (not that that would be weird or anything hehe) then you can tell they are uneven.

I've had one child, but didn't have an epidural that time..so I'm worried this time around it will be affected. I sure hope not!

 

[binxyboo]

I don't have a scoliosis, but I do have a Lordosis (where the lumber region of the back hyper extends, rather than having a subtle curve) It is also known as a 'saddleback' and it looks like I have a large dent in my lower back!
https://yogatmanbarcelona.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/lordosis2.jpg
It causes lower back pain normally, but pregnancy seems to be making it worse

 

[jpassante]

I've had scoliosis since I was 13. I wore a back brace for two years but still ended with a double curvature that was right on the brink of where the doctors usually do surgery. At 17 I opted to not have the surgery.

Now at 34 I have had two children and am doing just fine. Yes, my back bothers me once in a while. It's definitely not perfect but it's also not killing me.

While I was pregnant I really had a rough time during the last month. There was just so much pressure on my lower back and I think the extra weight out in front really amplifies the problem. But, what's a month of aching compared to a lifetime with your children?

My husband and I are actually talking about a third. It's now or never. My back will ache for sure but it will definitely be worth it.

 

[Alias]

I wrote in this thread earlier, and now I'm out the other side, so I'll update

I usually get a lot of pain in my upper back, mainly my left shoulder as a result of my wonky spine. I'd do pilates and physio to keep it in check. However while I was pregnant I didn't do either and I had no problems with my back at all. Well, a bad day from time to time, but nothing like it usually is. At the moment baby is 6 weeks old and it's starting to bother me again now. They say pregnancy either makes things better or worse, and for some reason my back was much better while pregnant. Everything else went skewy, so I guess something had to go right!

I did end up having to seeing an anesthetist about an epidural, and he thought I'd be fine (I had old radiology reports from when I'd had xrays done over 10 years ago). In the end I was sectioned under GA, so it didn't matter.

 

[Tina_lou]

Hi

I had scoliosis when i was younger.I had a 56 degree curve with a twist and had surgery to correct it and now have a metal rod connected to my spine. Since then I have had a little boy (now 2years old) but I was told that I would have to have a c-section because natural labour could cause problems. I was also told I would have to be knocked out because the surgeons at the hospital where I had my son wouldn't risk an epidural in case in went in the wrong place and caused damage. I was just wondering if anyone had had the surgery and had had a normal labour?I am thinking of having another child (not yet but in the future) and am not keen on having another c-section.

 

[applelova911]

I will reply again as I've experienced both deliveries. I have scoliosis, I replied once before to this thread when I was still pregnant. I have a DD who will be 11 tomorrow, I had her via csection where a spinal was used for surgery I was awake during her delivery. Now my DS who is 8 weeks old I had via VBAC. I had him natural without any meds. I wanted an epidural badly but when I told the anethesiologist that I had scoliosis she looked horrified to attempt to give me an epidural and they used every excuse possible not to give me one. I guess it all depends. Good luck!