Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-6587cd75c8-vfwnz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-24T05:10:14.386Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Case 27 - A 35-Year-Old with Abdominal Wall Bulge at 24 Weeks’ Gestation

from Section 3 - Antepartum (Late Pregnancy)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2025

Peter F. Schnatz
Affiliation:
The Reading Hospital, Pennsylvania
D. Yvette LaCoursiere
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego
Christopher M. Morosky
Affiliation:
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Jonathan Schaffir
Affiliation:
The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Vanessa Torbenson
Affiliation:
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
David Chelmow
Affiliation:
Virginia Commonwealth School of Medicine
Get access

Summary

Diastasis recti abdominis is a weakening or widening of the linea alba of the rectus abdominis muscles. It is more common in the second or third trimesters of pregnancy. The presenting symptoms are usually a “bulge” when the patient performs an abdominal crunch motion and can be associated with lower back pain. Alternatively, it can be incidentally found. The diagnosis is clinical rather than based on imaging, although imaging can help rule out other entities such as primary ventral hernias. If noted in pregnancy, treatment consists of reassurance and use of light abdominal binding, if feasible for the patient. The incidence of ventral hernias in pregnancy are rare, and treatment is usually delayed until the postpartum period.

Type
Chapter
Information
Pregnancy Complications
A Case-Based Approach
, pp. 84 - 86
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Boissonnault, JS, Blaschak, MJ. Incidence of Diastasis Recti Abdominis during the Childbearing Year. Phys Ther. 1988;68(7):10821086. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/68.7.1082 (accessed June 13, 2023).Google ScholarPubMed
Oma, E, Bay-Nielsen, M, Jensen, KK, et al. Primary Ventral or Groin Hernia in Pregnancy: A Cohort Study of 20,714 Women. Hernia. 2017;21(3):335339.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cavalli, M, Aiolfi, A, Bruni, PG, et al. Prevalence and Risk Factors for Diastasis Recti Abdominis: A Review and Proposal of a New Anatomical Variation. Hernia. 2021;25: 883890.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corvino, A, Rosa, DD, Sbordone, C, et al. Diastasis of Rectus Abdominis Muscles: Patterns of Anatomical Variation as Demonstrated by Ultrasound. Pol J Radiol. 2019;84:e542e548.Google ScholarPubMed
Mughal, M, Ross, D. Management of the Post-pregnancy Abdomen: The Plastic Surgical Perspective. Hernia. 2021;25(4):929938.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sperstad, JB, Tennfjord, MK, Hilde, G, et al. Diastasis Recti Abdominis during Pregnancy and 12 Months after Childbirth: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Report of Lumbopelvic Pain. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(17):10921096.Google ScholarPubMed
Tung, RC, Towfigh, S. Diagnostic Techniques for Diastasis Recti. Hernia. 2021;25(4):915919.Google ScholarPubMed
Thabet, AA, Alshehri, MA. Efficacy of Deep Core Stability Exercise Program in Postpartum Women with Diastasis Recti Abdominis: A Randomised Controlled Trial. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2019;19(1):6268.Google ScholarPubMed
Keshwani, N, Mathur, S, McLean, L. The Impact of Exercise Therapy and Abdominal Binding in the Management of Diastasis Recti Abdominis in the Early Post-partum Period: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Physiother Theory Pract. 2021;37(9):10181033.Google ScholarPubMed
Smith, J, Parmely, JD. Ventral Hernia. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing; 2023. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499927/ (accessed September 26, 2024).Google Scholar
Jensen, KK, Henriksen, NA, Jorgensen, LN. Abdominal Wall Hernia and Pregnancy: A Systematic Review. Hernia. 2015;19(5):689696.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×