HEALTHY FAMILY
Expecting? Pregnancy Risks Your Doctor
Doesn’t Always Warn You About
BY MELANIE SWITZER-REILLY
Since healthy women
of childbearing age
are too young for
doctor-ordered screening bone
scans, which
measure bone
and mineral density,
they usually have no
idea how their bone
health is, or that a
pregnancy could
compromise it.

24 WashingtonFAMILY JUNE 2019
Diastasis Recti
Diastasis recti (DR) is your pre-pregnancy
“six-pack” being spread apart. About half of
pregnant women will get DR. This happens
when you’re pregnant to make room for the
baby, but problems can occur post-preg-
nancy if this separation doesn’t naturally
correct itself.

Lucky Bennett, a naturopathic doctor at
The Women’s Club in Chantilly explains that
DR is common during pregnancy because at
this time, “the brain can lose the connection
to these muscles almost entirely.”
If you’ve recently given birth, or even if
it’s been several years and you’re wonder-
ing if you might have this condition, there
are some common symptoms to look out
for, including:
• A bumpy ridge that goes down the cen-
ter of your abdomen
• Mid or lower back pain
• Urinary incontinence
• A “pregnancy pooch” that just won’t
go away
Your doctor or a personal trainer can
confirm if you have DR. But, you can also
find out on your own by trying out this sim-
ple at-home test:
Step 1: Lay on your back, knees bent, with
your feet flat on the floor and one hand sup-
porting your head.

Step 2: Place your index and middle fin-
ger from your opposite hand just above
your belly button, then raise your head and
neck up while pressing your fingers into the
separation between your ab muscles.

Step 3: While pressing down, see if you
can horizontally fit more than two fingers
into the opening. If you can, you might have
DR, especially if you can press down to your
first knuckles.

Now, what if you do have DR?
“The good news is that this problem can be
reversed with the right movement and exer-
cises,” Bennett says. It’s all about getting
back control of these muscles and regaining
a strong posture.

Keep in mind, however, that there are
many common abdominal exercises that
are actually unsafe if you have this condi-
tion, and can make it worse. For example,
your abs will be rendered too weak to be
hanging down in a plank.

So, after getting the all-clear to resume
exercise from your doctor, start with
basic core strengthening exercises like
single leg lifts or wall sits. You’ll want to
focus on exercises that pull the muscles
in, not push them out. If hiring a personal
trainer isn’t an option for you, there are
plenty of books and online videos on the
topic to show you the right exercises to
help you heal.

Pregnancy & Lactation
Associated Osteoporosis (PLO)
The second lesser-known, but very import-
ant pregnancy issue to be aware of is
Pregnancy & Lactation Associated Oste-
oporosis (PLO). PLO is a rare form of
osteoporosis with fractures triggered by
pregnancy or breastfeeding or both. It was
first discovered by doctors back in the ‘40s.

Since healthy women of childbearing age
are too young for doctor-ordered screening
bone (DXA) scans, which measure bone and
mineral density, they usually have no idea
how their bone health is, or that pregnancy
could compromise it. In some cases, osteo-
porosis may pre-date the pregnancy, or they
may have an underlying health condition
that has unknowingly compromised their
bones, and then the fractures are triggered
by reproductive events.

ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS/RYANKING999
T here’s never a better time to focus
on good health than when you’re
pregnant. From what to expect
when you’re expecting to what to eat and
how to exercise, there’s an extensive pool
of advice available these days. Yet there are
still some pregnancy issues that often go
unmentioned. Below are two pregnancy concerns that
aren’t as widely talked about, but very
important for every expectant mother
to know.




GETTY IMAGES/DIGITALVISION VECTORS/WETCAKE
HEALTHY FAMILY
A typical story about how a new
mom finds out that she has osteo-
porosis goes like this: Shortly after
giving birth, and usually after having
breastfed a few months, she is crip-
pled with extreme back pain out of
the blue — maybe after simply lift-
ing her child in the baby carrier or
doing a household chore. She proba-
bly thought it was just a strain from
having weakened back muscles from
pregnancy, and figured there was lit-
tle she could do but live with the pain for
a while. But then, she eventually discovers
that it doesn’t ever go away, thus finally
prompting a check-up.

Unfortunately, once getting checked,
a correct diagnosis can take months or
even years. And most mothers have to
insist on an X-ray or an MRI. It’s only
then when getting a scan, do those with
PLO discover that they have sustained
(sometimes multiple) vertebral frac-
tures, and have the DXA scores of a much
older woman.

Luckily, in some cases, those with PLO
have bounced back to their normal bone
Cohen and her team are currently
taking bone samples, bone images,
blood samples and saliva from a com-
prehensive group of PLO sufferers. “We
are looking at things like genetic factors,
hormonal factors and bone structure to
try and figure out the best treatments
and prevention strategies for this dis-
ease in the near future,” Cohen says.

The hope is that doctors nationwide
will soon better inform expectant
mothers of this possible risk, know
how to readily identify it, and then prescribe
proper and immediate treatment.

Hopefully, when it comes to DR and
PLO, you won’t have to worry about either of these
issues. But, it doesn’t hurt to be armed with as much
knowledge as possible, especially when doing
something as important as bringing a new life into
the world.

Of course, if you feel like you have any
health issues from pregnancy, always see
your doctor or a health professional. ■
health after they stop breastfeeding, but
others have to take osteoporosis medications.

Even though this condition is extremely
rare, it’s seriousness has recently come to
the attention of some of the nation’s top
doctors, including Adi Cohen an endo-
crinologist at Columbia University Irving
Medical Center.

Cohen has been studying osteoporo-
sis in younger women since 2005 and
became aware of PLO as part of these
studies. She is now leading the first
large-scale FDA-funded study of PLO Melanie Switzer-Reilly is a Washington,
with the help of an orphan (rare) disease D.C.-based television producer and
print journalist.

grant program.

ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS/TOP: DIGITALVISION VECTORS/WETCAKE;
ABOVE: RYANKING999
2019 Baby & Maternity Guide
Aidan Montessori School
2700 27th St., N.W., Washington, D.C.

aidanschool.org aidan@aidanschool.org
202-387-2700 Type(s): Child Care (younger than 2 yrs.)
Description: Washington, D.C.’s oldest
AMI-accredited Montessori school serving
ages 18 months to Grade 6.

BASIS Independent McLean
8000 Jones Branch Dr., Va.

mclean.basisindependent.com mclean-admissions@
basisindependent.com 703-854-1253
Type(s) Classes & Instruction
Description: The Twos Program at BASIS
Independent McLean provides children
between the ages of 2 and 3 years old
with a supportive environment that
nurtures growing minds and inspires a
love of learning. Led by caring, thoughtful
teachers who are experts in early
childhood development, our program
lays the necessary building blocks for
physical, social, emotional and language
development. Capital Gymnastics
National Training Center
10400 Premier Ct., Va.

capitalgymnasticsntc.com capitalgymnasticsntc@gmail.com
703-239-0044 Type(s): Classes & Instruction
Description: Capital Gymnastics National
Training Center offers recreational and
competitive classes in Gymnastics, Cheer,
Xcel, TOPs, and Tumbling. Our programs
start as young as 18 months for the parent
and tot classes and go up to adult training.

Encore Stage & Studio
4000 Lorcom Ln., Va.

encorestageva.org/classes 6-months-5-years-old
info@encoresteage.org 703-548-1154
Type(s): Classes & Instruction
Description: Share, grow and learn with
your child during this special time in their
life! Encore’s parent/caregiver classes
will promote your child’s development
and provide exciting enrichment. Through
creative play, movement, and music,
your child will sharpen critical social and
physical skills in a fun and imaginative
environment. Classes are held Tuesday
mornings, 10:30 am – 11:15 am. Drop in
rate $13, Monthy registration available for
$10 per class.

Encore Stage & Studio
4000 Lorcom Ln., Va.

encorestageva.org info@encorestage.org
703-548-1154 Type(s): Classes & Instruction
Description: Encore Stage & Studio
offers classes for ages 6 months
through 2 years old on Tuesday
mornings. Share, grow and learn
with your child during this special
time in their life! Encore’s parent/
caregiver classes will promote your
child’s development and provide
exciting enrichment. Through creative
play, movement and music your child
will sharpen critical social and
physical skills in a fun and imaginative
environment. Classes for ages 3-5
are available Saturday mornings and
Wednesday afternoons.

Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center
10th and Constitution Ave., N.W.

Washington, D.C.

seecstories.com rasoc@si.edu
202-633-0121 Type(s): Classes & Instruction, Child Care
(younger than 2 yrs.)
Description: Founded in 1988, the
Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center
(SEEC) is a school for infants –
kindergartners that uses museums and
the community at-large as part of it’s
curriculum. We believe that young children
are capable learners who benefit from
inquiry-based instruction, child-directed
experiences, and play. SEEC is especially
committed to supporting a child’s social
emotional development as well as positive
sense of self. In addition to our school,
we offer single family workshops, part-
time family programs, and classes for
educators and caregivers. ■
WashingtonFAMILY.com 25