I'm 27 and feeling ready to start a family, but my husband is worried about my carrying the extra weight because I have had some injuries to my lower back. I had a slipped disk in 1985 and had a spinoplasty done on it. Just last January, I had a snowtubing accident -- I hit a wall and landed on my head. My neck and back were the worst. An MRI showed the fusion is still intact and everything was OK. I'm fine now, with pain every now and then, but it's tolerable. My husband is afraid if I get pregnant I won't be able to walk. This is becoming a problem between us because we cannot agree. Please help.

Julie

Prior spinal fusion, in general, is not a contraindication to pregnancy. I would suggest talking with your orthopedic surgeon about your plans; some physical therapy and education beforehand may be able to lower the chance of any problems once you are pregnant.

Pregnancy and back pain do go hand-in-hand. The increased secretion of progesterone and relaxin tend to make joints and ligaments more lax. The increasing size of the baby throughout pregnancy causes changes in the center of gravity and contributes to lumbar lordosis, the "swayback" of most pregnant women.

Pregnancy-associated back pain can be treated. Proper posture is probably the single best thing to minimize back discomfort: Chest out, chin up, pelvis tucked. Proper lifting -- that is, keeping the back straight and bending the legs, NOT bending from the waist! -- will also decrease the chance of back injury. You may be able to ease lower back and groin pain by wearing a "belly bra," a support that goes under the uterus and helps to distribute the weight throughout the entire back; these are available in many maternity shops or catalogues. Physical therapy and/or massage can be very helpful if back pain develops.