Ever wondered why some women look five or six months pregnant, months after pregnancy or childbirth. If you are about to say it is because of the fat that is popularly known as baby fat, you are mistaken. It is not the usual fat, but it is a condition known as Diastasis Recti.

What is it?

Diastasis is derived from a Latin word, which means separation. Diastasis recti is also known as abdominal separation. In this condition, the left and right side of the abdominal muscle gets separated. This muscle is known as rectus abdominal muscle, which covers the front surface of the belly.

Reasons why this diastasis recti occurs

The most common and known cause for this condition is pregnancy. During pregnancy the abdominal muscles get stretched to accommodate the growing baby in the uterus. Other reasons could be increased weight of the baby during pregnancy, numerous pregnancies, and strenuous exercise done in the initial period of pregnancy, which is in the first three months of pregnancy. It is believed that women above 35 years of age are more prone to getting this condition during pregnancy. However, babies and men are equally susceptible to this condition. 

Another possible reason for this condition could be putting on extra fat during pregnancy or otherwise. This extra fat tends to put on more pressure on the abdominal muscles, leading to diastatis recti.

What is the treatment for this condition?

Though there is no treatment for this condition because it gets corrected within a year post pregnancy or post child birth. Certain rare cases need correction through surgery or cosmetic surgery. But one needs to exercise regularly to correct this condition. Also, certain exercise such as belly crunches need to be avoided, because it tends to worsen this abdominal separation. Also, if you think you have this condition, it is better to get this checked by a medical practitioner.