PREGNANCY-BIRTH Messages for January, 1999: Hernia at 17+ weeks

Hernia at 17+ weeks

From: Noelle (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu, 28 Jan 1999 10:02:33 -0600 (CST)

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Hello,

I'm 17+ weeks pregnant with my third child. A couple of weeks ago, I was lying in bed and my husband made some joke, I laughed, then I started coughing violently, sitting bolt upright. I felt my abdominal muscles split below my sternum (the abdominus rectus muscles?). With both my previous pregnancies, I've had a total 4-finger split by the 31st week or so, but it was always a gradual split and never anything so sudden and painful.

The next day, I had lots of pain there and noticed a slightly painful "bulge" just to the right of the split. It feels like a hard baby part would feel later in pregnancy (such as a knee). I do have pain there periodically still, although it hasn't become very severe or constant.

I can't find anything about this online, here at OBGYN.net, or in any my books, except for one reference in a maternity nursing text that says abdominal hernia can exist in pregnancy (but with no other real information). My midwife told me to call her if the pain gets much worse, but short of that, it's benign for now. Will this go away as time goes on? Will it get worse as the baby and my uterus grow higher into my abdomen? If it gets worse, will I have other symptoms (GI symptoms?)? Will I have to have surgery after the baby is born to correct it, or are there other things (exercises?) to help it heal?

Within a day or so, I could feel a difference in my back, having much worse back pain since my abdominals are n't doing their job too well. Now I find it even harder than before to keep good posture - I've never had great posture, especially in pregnancy, but now it feels impossible.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

--
Noelle Haland
Mama to Ethan (stillborn 12/2/96), Max (born 10/28/97)...
...and new babe due 4th of July 1999
<noelleh@earthlink.net>

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