Inter-recti distance at gestation week 37: prospective associations among healthy pregnant women

Kari Bø, Nina Theodorsen, Rolf Moe-Nilssen, Inger Haukenes
Purpose:

The main aim of this project was to investigate associations between sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidity and pregnancy related factors in pregnant women before gestation week 20, and IRD at gestation week 37.

Methods:

One hundred and twenty pregnant women, > 18 years of age, both primi- and multigravida, were included in this prospective cohort study. Variables at baseline ( gestation week 20) were reported through a questionnaire, and ultrasound images of the IRD 2 cm above the umbilicus were taken at both baseline and again at gestation week 37. Associations between baseline variables and IRD at gestation week 37 were initially investigated by bivariate linear regression analyses and secondly a multivariate linear regression analysis. P .05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

Bivariate associations between baseline variables and IRD at gestation week 37 showed statistically significant associations for IRD at baseline (p .001), BMI (p = .045), waist circumference (p = .028), parity (p = .023), stretch marks (p = .026), and varicose veins (p = .043). However, in the multivariate linear regression model only baseline IRD was significantly associated with IRD at gestation week 37. (p .001). R2 for the multivariate regression model was .384. Factors such as abdominal exercise and heavy lifting were not associated with IRD at gestation week 37.

Conclusion(s):

IRD, stretch marks, varicose veins, BMI, waist circumference and parity at early stages of 2nd trimester were significantly associated with IRD at gw 37. This suggests that factors external to the pregnancy such as sociodemographic and exercise have little influence on increased IRD during pregnancy.

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Implications:

This is the first prospective cohort study investigating factors early in pregnancy and whether they are associated to IRD at gestation week 37. The results of this study may act as baseline for further studies. Abdominal exercise during pregnancy is not associated with an increased IRD in gestation week 37, and hence physiotherapists should take this into consideration when advising on and prescribing exercises to this population.


Funding acknowledgements:
This study is part of a PhD project , funded by the Norwegian Fund for Post Graduate Training in Physiotherapy (129673).
Keywords:
Diastasis recti abdominis
Pregnancy
Ultrasound
Primary topic:
Women's health
Second topic:
Musculoskeletal
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
Norwegian Regional Ethics Comittee
Provide the ethics approval number:
76296
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
Yes

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