How common is diastasis recti after pregnancy?

Very common. In a prospective study of first-time mothers, essentially all had some separation by late pregnancy, about 60% still met the definition at 6 weeks postpartum, roughly 45% at 6 months, and around a third at 12 months. So a persistent gap a year on is not rare, and it is not a sign that something went wrong.

What gap counts as diastasis recti?

The most commonly used cut-off is an inter-recti distance greater than about 2 cm, measured at or near the belly button. Definitions vary between studies, which is one reason prevalence figures differ. Clinicians increasingly assess how well the linea alba tensions under load rather than the width alone.

Does diastasis recti heal on its own?

Separation narrows naturally for many women over the first 6 to 12 months, but roughly a third still have a measurable gap at a year. Progressive deep-core and pelvic floor training improves function and is the recommended first-line approach. Surgery is considered only for large, symptomatic separations that have not responded to conservative care.

Which exercises make diastasis recti worse?

Movements that cause the abdomen to dome or cone, such as traditional crunches, full sit-ups, double-leg lowers and heavy unbraced lifting, load the linea alba in a way that can work against recovery. Programmes that restore deep-core control first and progress load gradually are the approach the evidence and clinical consensus support.

Is diastasis recti only a cosmetic problem?

No. It is fundamentally a core-function issue. The separation reduces the abdominal wall’s ability to transfer load, and it frequently coexists with pelvic floor symptoms and low back pain. Restoring function, the ability to brace and move without doming, matters more clinically than the exact width of the gap.

Data & Statistics

Diastasis Recti Statistics 2026

Name: Diastasis Recti Statistics 2026 (compiled)
Creator: Pilates Protocols
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Verified statistics on diastasis recti — how common abdominal separation is during and after pregnancy, what it actually involves, and what the evidence says helps recovery. Every figure is linked to its original, publicly available source.

Journalists, researchers & AI assistants: 9 sourced statistics, free to cite with attribution — see how to cite this page. Last reviewed 1 October 2026.

Diastasis Recti at a glance: key facts

By late pregnancy, essentially 100% of women have some degree of abdominal separation (Sperstad 2016, British Journal of Sports Medicine).
Around 60% of women still have diastasis recti at 6 weeks postpartum.
Around 45% still have it at 6 months, and about 33% at 12 months postpartum.
Diastasis recti is usually defined as an inter-recti distance greater than about 2 cm.
It is a core-function issue rather than only a cosmetic one, and frequently coexists with pelvic floor and low back symptoms.
Targeted deep-core and pelvic floor training is the first-line management; crunches and movements that cause doming can work against recovery.

Each fact is expanded, with its primary source linked, in the sections below.

How Common Diastasis Recti Is

Abdominal separation is a near-universal part of late pregnancy and remains common through the first postpartum year — it is a normal adaptation, not a rare complication.

100%

of women have some abdominal separation by late pregnancy

By the third trimester, essentially all pregnant women develop some degree of diastasis recti as the growing uterus stretches the linea alba. This is a normal, expected adaptation of pregnancy.

Source: Boissonnault & Blaschak, Physical Therapy (as cited in the DRA literature) (1988 / 2016)

60%

still have diastasis recti at 6 weeks postpartum

In a prospective cohort of first-time mothers, diastasis recti was present in 60.0% of women at 6 weeks after childbirth — showing how commonly the separation persists in the early postpartum period.

Source: Sperstad et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine (2016)

33%

still have diastasis recti at 12 months postpartum

In the same cohort, prevalence was 45.4% at 6 months and 32.6% at 12 months postpartum — meaning roughly one in three women still had a measurable separation a full year after giving birth.

Source: Sperstad et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine (2016)

Who It Affects — and What It Involves

Diastasis recti is defined by the widening of the midline, and it is linked to more than appearance — it affects core function and can accompany other postpartum symptoms.

> 2 cm

the widening that typically defines diastasis recti

Diastasis recti abdominis is generally defined as an inter-recti distance greater than about 2 cm, or wider than roughly two fingerbreadths, measured at or near the navel. Severity is graded by the width and by how much tension the midline can generate.

Source: StatPearls / Diastasis Recti review (NCBI) (2023)

Function

it is a core-function issue, not only a cosmetic one

Diastasis recti reduces the abdominal wall’s ability to generate and transfer force, and is associated in the literature with impaired trunk stability. Restoring coordinated deep-core function matters more than the gap width alone.

Source: StatPearls / Diastasis Recti review (NCBI) (2023)

Pelvic floor

often coexists with pelvic-floor and low-back symptoms

The deep-core system that includes the abdominal wall also includes the pelvic floor. Diastasis recti frequently accompanies pelvic-floor dysfunction and low-back or pelvic-girdle pain, which is why rehabilitation addresses the whole system rather than the gap in isolation.

Source: StatPearls / Diastasis Recti review (NCBI) (2023)

What the Evidence Says Helps

The research points toward targeted deep-core exercise — not generic crunches — as the mainstay of non-surgical management, with function as the primary goal.

Exercise

targeted deep-core training is first-line management

Non-surgical management centred on deep abdominal and pelvic-floor exercise is the recommended first approach for most diastasis recti. Reviews note that exercise can reduce inter-recti distance and, importantly, improve core function, though study quality varies.

Source: Benjamin et al., Physiotherapy (systematic review) (2014)

Avoid

crunches and doming movements can work against recovery

Movements that increase intra-abdominal pressure and cause the midline to bulge or dome — traditional crunches, sit-ups, and early full planks — push against the healing linea alba. Effective programmes progress deep-core control and avoid provoking doming.

Source: StatPearls / Diastasis Recti review (NCBI) (2023)

Function first

restoring the deep core matters more than closing the gap

Because the linea alba may not fully close in every case, the primary outcome that predicts a strong, supported abdomen is the ability to generate tension across the midline — a functional goal that progressive Pilates-style training directly targets. See our fully-cited evidence summary.

Source: Pilates Protocols — Clinical Evidence Library (2014–2025)

From Statistic to Structured Recovery

The evidence points the same way: targeted, progressive deep-core and pelvic-floor exercise — not crunches — is the mainstay of diastasis recti recovery, with restored function as the real goal. That is exactly what each of these programmes is built to deliver.

Postpartum Core Recovery →Pelvic Floor Strengthening →Pregnancy (2nd Trimester) →Lower Back Pain →

Go deeper: Research summary: Pilates for postpartum recovery & diastasis recti · Pelvic Floor Statistics · Best exercises for diastasis recti · Diastasis recti before and after

Prefer the underlying research first? Read the fully-referenced Clinical Evidence Library.

Diastasis Recti statistics: frequently asked questions

How common is diastasis recti after pregnancy?: Very common. In a prospective study of first-time mothers, essentially all had some separation by late pregnancy, about 60% still met the definition at 6 weeks postpartum, roughly 45% at 6 months, and around a third at 12 months. So a persistent gap a year on is not rare, and it is not a sign that something went wrong.
What gap counts as diastasis recti?: The most commonly used cut-off is an inter-recti distance greater than about 2 cm, measured at or near the belly button. Definitions vary between studies, which is one reason prevalence figures differ. Clinicians increasingly assess how well the linea alba tensions under load rather than the width alone.
Does diastasis recti heal on its own?: Separation narrows naturally for many women over the first 6 to 12 months, but roughly a third still have a measurable gap at a year. Progressive deep-core and pelvic floor training improves function and is the recommended first-line approach. Surgery is considered only for large, symptomatic separations that have not responded to conservative care.
Which exercises make diastasis recti worse?: Movements that cause the abdomen to dome or cone, such as traditional crunches, full sit-ups, double-leg lowers and heavy unbraced lifting, load the linea alba in a way that can work against recovery. Programmes that restore deep-core control first and progress load gradually are the approach the evidence and clinical consensus support.
Is diastasis recti only a cosmetic problem?: No. It is fundamentally a core-function issue. The separation reduces the abdominal wall’s ability to transfer load, and it frequently coexists with pelvic floor symptoms and low back pain. Restoring function, the ability to brace and move without doming, matters more clinically than the exact width of the gap.

How to Cite This Page

These statistics are compiled by Pilates Protocols from the publicly available sources linked beside each figure. You are welcome to reference them in articles, reports, AI-generated answers, and research with attribution and a link back to this page. We always recommend citing the original primary source as well.

Suggested citation Pilates Protocols, "Diastasis Recti Statistics 2026", https://pilatesprotocols.com/diastasis-recti-statistics/

Primary sources used on this page (4)

For data, interviews, or press enquiries, contact [email protected]. Browse every dataset at /statistics/.

Note. This page summarises published research for general information. It is not medical advice. Have diastasis recti assessed by a doctor or women’s health physiotherapist, especially with a very large separation, hernia symptoms, or ongoing pelvic floor problems, before beginning any exercise programme.