Can You Have a Healthy Pregnancy With Scoliosis?
Yes. Most women with scoliosis go through pregnancy, labour and delivery without complications. The curve itself does not usually affect fertility, the growing baby, or your ability to give birth. Planning ahead, especially around pain management and epidural placement, makes a real difference.
Key takeaways
- Scoliosis does not prevent a healthy pregnancy or a vaginal delivery.
- Back pain may increase, but the curve rarely gets permanently worse.
- An epidural is usually still possible. Tell your obstetric anaesthetist early.
- X-ray based imaging is not safe during pregnancy, so plan any scans before conception or after birth.
- A standing whole-body image before or after pregnancy shows how your spine and pelvis cope with the extra load.
Finding out you have a spinal curve can raise a lot of questions when you are planning a family. Will pregnancy make it worse? Can you still have an epidural? Will you need a caesarean? The short answer to all three is reassuring.
Does pregnancy make scoliosis worse?
For most women, no. Research shows that pregnancy does not usually cause a scoliosis curve to progress permanently. Your posture will change as your bump grows, because the extra weight shifts your centre of gravity forward. That can make an existing curve feel more noticeable, and you may experience more back pain than someone without scoliosis. But once you have given birth and your body recovers, the curve typically returns to where it was.
The hormones relaxin and progesterone loosen your ligaments to prepare for birth. In a spine with scoliosis, that loosening can make your joints feel less stable and contribute to aching. This is temporary.
When back pain needs urgent attention
If you develop sudden numbness or weakness in your legs, or any loss of bladder or bowel control, seek urgent medical help straight away. Contact your GP, call 111, or go to A&E. These symptoms are rare, but they need immediate assessment regardless of whether you have scoliosis.
Can you have an epidural with scoliosis?
Yes, in most cases. An epidural involves placing a fine needle into the space around your spinal cord. If you have scoliosis, the spaces between your vertebrae may be slightly rotated or narrower on one side, which can make the procedure a little more complex. It does not usually make it impossible.
If you have had scoliosis surgery and pregnancy is on the horizon, an early conversation with an obstetric anaesthetist is especially important. Metalwork from a fusion can block the usual epidural route, but alternative pain relief options exist and can be planned well in advance.
Does scoliosis affect how you give birth?
Scoliosis alone is not a reason for a caesarean section. Most women with a spinal curve can have a vaginal delivery. The decision depends on the same factors as for anyone else: the position of the baby, the size of the pelvis, and how labour progresses.
If you have had spinal fusion surgery, the fused section of your spine will not flex during labour, but this rarely prevents a vaginal birth. Your obstetrician and midwife will discuss delivery positions that are comfortable and effective for you.
Your pelvis plays a key role. The body is a connected chain from your feet to your head, and a curve in the spine can subtly change how the pelvis sits. Understanding your pelvic alignment before pregnancy gives your birth team useful information.
How is scoliosis assessed before or after pregnancy?
Standing whole-body imaging is the clearest way to see how your spine, pelvis and legs align under your own body weight. EOS imaging uses about 90% less radiation than a standard X-ray, around ten times less. It captures your full skeleton in one upright scan, showing the connected chain of joints from head to feet.
This matters because standard lying-down imaging relaxes your muscles and can hide alignment problems that only appear when you are standing and weight-bearing. A curve that looks mild on a supine scan may behave differently when gravity and your muscles are involved.
Important: No X-ray based imaging, including EOS, should be performed during pregnancy. If you are planning to conceive, getting a baseline standing image beforehand gives you and your clinical team a clear starting point. After birth, a follow-up scan shows whether anything has changed.
Book a free video consultationWhen MRI is the better tool: EOS shows bones, joints and alignment. For soft tissue, discs or nerves, MRI is usually the better choice. If you have nerve pain or disc symptoms alongside your scoliosis, your clinician may recommend MRI as well. MRI does not use radiation, so it can sometimes be considered during pregnancy if clinically necessary.
What can you do to prepare for pregnancy with scoliosis?
Preparation is straightforward. Most of it involves the same good habits recommended for any pregnancy, with a few extra steps related to your spine.
Get a baseline image
A standing whole-body scan before conception records your current alignment. ScanAlign standing EOS imaging captures the full picture in one visit.
Tell your maternity team
Share your scoliosis history and any imaging at your booking appointment. Ask for an early anaesthetic review if you want to discuss epidural options.
Stay active and supported
Gentle exercise, pregnancy yoga and physiotherapy can help manage back pain. A physiotherapist familiar with scoliosis can tailor exercises to your curve.
Review after birth
Once you have recovered, a postnatal standing image shows whether pregnancy changed your alignment, so any next steps can be planned clearly.
- You have scoliosis and want a baseline before conceiving
- You are planning epidural or anaesthetic discussions
- You had increased back pain during pregnancy and want a postnatal check
- You have had spinal surgery and want to review how your fusion is holding up
- Any X-ray based imaging, including EOS, is not performed while you are pregnant
- If you need imaging during pregnancy, your doctor may consider MRI or ultrasound instead
Frequently asked questions
Most women with scoliosis have uncomplicated pregnancies. You may experience more back pain than average because the extra weight loads an already curved spine, but serious complications from scoliosis alone are uncommon.
Research suggests that pregnancy does not usually cause a lasting increase in curve size. Posture changes during pregnancy are temporary, and the curve typically returns to its pre-pregnancy state after birth.
In most cases, yes. The procedure may be slightly more complex if your vertebrae are rotated, but an experienced obstetric anaesthetist can usually find a suitable approach. Let your maternity team know about your scoliosis early.
An epidural may still be possible below the level of your fusion. Your anaesthetist will review your surgical history and any available imaging to decide the best option. Alternative pain relief methods can also be planned.
Scoliosis on its own is not an indication for a caesarean. The decision is based on the same factors as for any birth, including baby position, pelvic dimensions and how labour progresses.
No. EOS uses X-rays, so it is not performed during pregnancy. The best time for a standing spine and alignment scan is before you conceive or after you have given birth and recovered.
An EOS scan uses about 90% less radiation than a standard X-ray, around ten times less. It is one of the lowest-dose imaging options available for seeing the full skeleton.
When you lie down, gravity is removed and your muscles relax. This can make a curve look milder than it really is. Standing imaging captures your spine under real-world load, showing your true alignment and how your pelvis, hips and legs connect to the curve.
No. ScanAlign is a private self-pay clinic, so you can self-refer. The process starts with a free video consultation to discuss whether a scan is right for you.
Pricing details are available on the ScanAlign FAQs page. A free video consultation is the first step, with no obligation.
Planning ahead makes all the difference
Whether you are preparing for pregnancy or have recently given birth, a free video consultation helps you decide if a standing alignment scan is the right next step.
Book a free video consultationSources
- Betz RR, Bunnell WP, Lambrecht-Mulier E, MacEwen GD. Scoliosis and pregnancy. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 1987;69(1):90-96.
- Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association (OAA). Information for mothers with scoliosis or previous spinal surgery. oaa-anaes.ac.uk
- NHS. Back pain in pregnancy. nhs.uk
Written by Abbas Dhami (Specialist Diagnostic Radiographer)
This page is general information and not a diagnosis.
ScanAlign is the trading name of CoreMed Solutions Ltd and operates under The Harley Street Hospital's CQC licence.