Diastsis Recti In Pregnancy And Postpartum - Moms Into Fitness

As your uterus grows during pregnancy, organs in your body move to make room for it. As your uterus expands outward, and your organs shift to make room for baby, it adds pressure to the abdominal wall and stretches your abdominal muscles. If these muscles stretch to the point that they separate more than 2.5 centimeters along the linea alba, this is called diastasis recti.

You may have a higher risk of developing diastasis recti if you:

• Are carrying a large baby (because a bigger baby needs more room to grow)
• Are having multiples (because twins or triplets need way more room to grow)
• Have a weaker abdominal wall (because your muscles may not be able to withstand the stretching)
• Have a narrow pelvis (because your muscles may need to stretch to compensate)
• Are pregnant again shortly after giving birth (because your muscles may not have recovered)
• Are over the age of 35
• Have had a Caesarean delivery (C-section), especially repeat C-sections. During a C-section, the abdominal rectus muscles are separated from one another and moved to the side. Sometimes these muscles are cut, and if they are they are usually put back together.

Diastasis Recti Is Common!

With that many risk factors, it’s easy to see why 33% of women report diastasis recti in their second trimester. In one study, 60% of participants had diastasis recti at six weeks postpartum, 45% of participants had a diastasis at six months postpartum, and 32% at one year postpartum. (source)

Another study of 336 women on the effects of exercise on diastasis recti in the prenatal and postnatal periods showed that exercise reduces the presence of an abdominal separation by 35%.

And in this study on the prevalence and risk factors of diastasis recti from late-pregnancy to six months postpartum, 100% of participants had a diastasis at gestational week 35 and 39% of participants still had a separation at six months postpartum.

How to Tell If You Have Diastasis Recti While Pregnant

Many women do not detect or get a diastais recti diagnosis until after baby is born. The self-test below is a starting point, but keep in mind it is not as accurate as the baby gets bigger due to fluid, the baby, the uterus moving up, etc. You might notice a possible diastasis if your belly “cones” or “domes” or you see a ridge awhile performing a traditional crunch. However, this coning could also be due to an under-cued transverse abdominis.

If you think you might have diastasis recti during pregnancy, download our Prenatal & Postnatal Exercise Guide for specific exercise guidelines. >>