Scoliosis and pregnancy

In my massage practice, I sometimes have clients with scoliosis who are pregnant, and they often don’t have more discomfort than before. I’ve also never heard that this affects how the birth should go. Still, there are certain positions during labor that will feel much more comfortable than, for example, giving birth lying flat on your back. I think it’s especially important to discuss everything thoroughly with your midwife, and possibly work with a doula or take a course that offers extra support in this.

Giving birth should ideally not be a problem. However, you might not be allowed to have an epidural. For that, you'd need to consult an anesthesiologist. That's why it's also helpful to visit your gynecologist once to get informed.

I myself have severe scoliosis but was never operated on. When I was pregnant, I was really scared that I'd have a lot of pain because of the weight, but that wasn't the case at all. On the contrary, it was fine.
The birth also went very smoothly. I had discussed my scoliosis beforehand in relation to the epidural.
Don't let it scare you off, and discuss everything thoroughly with the doctors so you can do everything calmly.

I totally understand your worries about being pregnant with scoliosis. I have quite severe scoliosis (70 degrees) but never had surgery. I've been pregnant twice in the last three years and now have two healthy daughters.

The pregnancies went really well. I felt good and didn't have much extra back pain. I did have some pelvic discomfort though, and gave birth lying on my side. Honestly, I find the postpartum period tougher. Lots of lifting and little sleep isn't ideal for my back. But I hear that from moms without scoliosis too.

Best wishes

I don't have scoliosis, but I do have other conditions. I'd advise anyone with a medical baggage to ask for a referral to a gynecologist in good time. They carefully look into everything for you (medications, risks, etc.), but there may also be follow-up tests you have to wait for. I myself asked around about this with my treating doctor two years ago. At that point, we had made the decision, and suddenly the gynecologist wanted to do all sorts of tests, which I found really unpleasant because I had to wait for them now.

I feel much better after reading these messages.
I also want to have a child in the future.
I have a scoliosis of 40 degrees; before my surgery, it was 70 degrees.
I still have some discomfort, but it's not too severe. Is it difficult to raise a child with severe scoliosis?

Hi anon,

I gave birth to a healthy son 3.5 weeks ago and I also have severe scoliosis (up to the third vertebra from the bottom) that was surgically fixed 4 years ago.

I was nervous about how my pregnancy and delivery would go. Miraculously, I didn’t have any back pain during my pregnancy, and looking back, I think the metal rods helped support the baby’s weight. The delivery went well (natural birth), and I was able to push the baby out while lying in bed (it was shorter than average). During my pregnancy, I asked to see the gynecologist and anesthesiologist to find out if a natural birth was possible and how. An orthopedic doctor also took a look. The only conclusion was that the epidural might not work properly after such a surgery (the fluid doesn’t spread well, so only one side gets numbed).

The only negative thing I notice now is that after my (smooth) delivery, I’m less fit than expected. I can’t walk very far yet and get muscle pain in my back and buttocks when I do. Once I’m allowed to, I’ll start training those muscles properly. The discomfort is negligible, especially when you consider what you get back in return!!

I hope this encourages you. I’d advise you to contact your (old) orthopedic doctor if you’re worried and ask your questions. You have the right to!!

I also have scoliosis; my back is fused from top to bottom with metal. When I was at the hospital for a check-up, I asked my doctor this question too. He told me that you can just get pregnant. However, you can't have an epidural, and there's a big chance you'll have a C-section.