Women's experiences of living with increased inter-recti distance after childbirth: an interview study

Although an increased inter-recti distance, also known as diastasis recti, is common after pregnancy, evidence-based knowledge about the condition is relatively limited. In particular, little is known about the consequences as perceived by the women. The objective of the present study was to describe how postpartum women with increased inter-recti distance experience the condition as well as the contacts they have had with healthcare providers regarding their symptoms.

A purposeful sampling approach was used to recruit 19 participants from an existing study cohort of 144 women. All participants had an inter-recti distance of at least two finger widths and at least one child, with the youngest child between the ages of 1 and 6 years. Individual interviews based on a semi-structured interview guide were performed and subsequently analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Four categories emerged from the interviews: the body's function and ability has changed; the body does not look like it used to; uncomprehending attitudes and treatment in their surroundings; and trying to acquire an understanding of and strategies to cope with the diastasis. The findings reveal that women with increased inter-recti distance might experience fear of movement and engage in avoidance behaviour. In combination with feelings of physical instability in the midsection of their bodies and body dissatisfaction, many of the women restrict their everyday lives and physical activities.

The findings indicate that increased inter-recti distance is a complex phenomenon that affects the women in a multitude of ways, highlighting the importance of considering the condition for each individual in her own context from a biopsychosocial perspective.