The uterus contracts during one of the most important phases of the body’s healing following a cesarean section. This is a normal stage of the body’s healing process as it gets back to how it was before the pregnancy. This occurs following all births, but following a C-section, it may take a little longer than following a vaginal delivery.
"Afterpains," or uterine contractions, aid in stopping bleeding and causing the uterus to return to its normal size. After the procedure, these contractions may continue to hurt for a few days or even weeks, but they usually get softer with time.
It can be helpful for new moms to know what to expect and how long this process takes to feel more prepared during their recovery. Since every person’s body is unique, it’s critical to pay attention to your own and see your doctor if you have any concerns.
The uterus shrinks to its pre-pregnancy size following a cesarean section, a process known as involution. The duration and intensity of contractions can vary based on individual factors and general health, but this process usually lasts six weeks. Recognizing this promotes recuperation during the postpartum phase and helps manage expectations.
- The condition of the organ after surgery
- Recovery
- Possible complications
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The condition of the organ after surgery
The uterus expands when pregnancy begins, reaching a 500-fold increase in size by the time of delivery. It changes a great deal during pregnancy. For instance, the uterine ligaments stretch, the uterus’s walls receive better blood supply and grow thicker, and the placenta is securely attached to its inner wall, through which uteroplacental blood flow occurs.
During a cesarean section, the baby is removed by the surgeon through a uterine incision (horizontal if the procedure is planned, vertical if it is an emergency) and the placenta is manually separated from the uterine wall. The woman’s reproductive organ is sutured only after this. The used threads are self-contained. Also made is a separate suture on the abdominal cavity.
The uterus is smaller after the procedure than it was before, but only because the placenta, the fetus, and the amniotic sac with amniotic fluid have vanished from it. The uterine walls continue to be large and stretched. It’s like a balloon that has lost air.
The blood vessels were damaged when the "baby’s place" was separated, which is why the placenta’s attachment to the inside of the muscular organ bleeds.
One thing that slows down the uterus’s contractile period is the incision on the organ itself. With time, excess uterine cells (myocytes) gradually die off and emerge along with lochia, a bloody discharge that starts right after the procedure and can last up to eight weeks on average. This process is influenced by the body’s natural production of oxytocin.
Recovery
The woman’s overall health and the type of discharge she had show that the uterine regeneration process following the surgery was normal.
The woman starts receiving contraction medication in the initial hours following the procedure. The uterus’s smooth muscles contract violently in response to oxytocin, enabling the uterus to swiftly eliminate blood clots and dead epithelium particles. Because the uterus contracts quite painfully, it is advised that a woman have intramuscular painkillers for the first two to three days following a cesarean section. Antibacterial medications might be recommended to stop infections.
The contraction happens at its fastest rate during the first three to four days. The discharge is a vivid scarlet color, and various-sized blood clots are OK. Following an oxytocin injection, the lower back and abdominal pain typically get worse along with the discharge.
During the course of the following two weeks, the discharge becomes more mucous, bloody, yellowish, or brownish; leukocytes, rather than red blood cells, are the predominant component. During this time, the uterus contracts more slowly, but the size of the female reproductive organ always shrinks an hourly basis. Some of the women report that their lower abdominal and lumbar pulling pains have lessened or stopped altogether.
A month and a half following the procedure, the discharge turns transparent or translucent with a preponderance of mucus because a thorough endometrial restoration process is taking place, including at the location where the former placenta was adjacent. Painful sensations are not typically experienced during this process. Six to seven weeks after a cesarean section, the uterus shrinks back to its pre-surgery size.
However, endometrial restoration is still a work in progress. Compared to women who have not given birth, the uterine musculature remains more elastic and stretched after the first delivery. The uterus is about 20 centimeters long right after the procedure. The uterus "loses weight" three times in a week after the procedure; at last, at the start of the eighth week, it weighs between 50 and 70 grams again and the internal membranes have been repaired. The scar area’s connective tissue gets stronger as the incision site grows together.
The reverse development of the fundus height is observed following surgery, just as its growth was observed during pregnancy. It is deemed normal for the fundus height to decrease by 10 mm each day.
Possible complications
Following surgery, there are two types of contractile function violations of the primary female reproductive organ: hypotension and atony. In the first instance, the uterus contracts too slowly and its rate of involution is slower than what is considered normal for obstetrics. In the second scenario, there are no contractions at all.
After giving birth to their first child, women frequently experience hypotension. Extremely young mothers (those under 19) and older mothers (those whose laboring woman is 36 years old or older at the time of the procedure) are at risk. Abortions performed in the past and diagnostic curettage raise the risk of uterine contractions becoming more frequent and less intense over time.
Because the mere existence of a scar increases the risk of hypotension, contraction medications are recommended.
However, sometimes even giving a woman oxytocin in a specific way doesn’t produce the desired result. The cause could be related to the new mother’s endocrine disorders or the fetus’s low position during pregnancy, which resulted in an initially uneven uterine tone (one part of the muscle walls experiencing more tension than others).
As atony is characterized by heavy and protracted bleeding, it is exceedingly uncommon and nearly always presents a significant risk to a woman’s life. Although the exact causes of atony are unknown, women who have uterine tumors, congenital anatomical disorders, or underdevelopment of a muscle organ are thought to be among the women at risk. Severe blood clotting disorders may also result in the absence of contractions.
In both situations, abnormally strong discharge or, less frequently, weak, ineffective discharge are noted in addition to the uterus’s weak contractile function or absence. The woman experiences peritoneal pain, fever, and purulent, gray, foamy discharge from her genitalia, which are indicators of infection.
A course of treatment is recommended. Curettage may be necessary occasionally to remove dead epithelial cells and blood clots from the uterus cavity. Doctors prescribe oxytocin contractile medications and antibacterial therapy.
Ultrasonography is used to monitor the uterus’s health. For the most part, the issue is manageable. Curettage is only required in extreme circumstances, and uterine amputation is a very uncommon response to complete and inexplicable atony lasting several days or weeks.
| Topic | How long does the uterus contract after a cesarean section? |
| Initial Contractions | The uterus typically starts contracting within a few hours after a cesarean section. |
| Duration | Contractions usually continue for several days as the uterus returns to its pre-pregnancy size. |
| Intensity | Contractions may be noticeable and can vary in intensity, often less intense than those during labor. |
| Factors | Factors such as individual healing and whether it"s the first or subsequent cesarean can affect contraction duration. |
The uterus requires time to heal and shrink back to its pre-pregnancy size following a cesarean section. This process usually begins shortly after delivery and lasts for a few weeks. At first, the contractions could resemble menstrual cramps and be fairly noticeable. Known as "afterpains," these contractions aid in the uterus’s shrinkage and lessening of bleeding.
The strongest contractions usually happen in the initial days following delivery. They usually become less frequent and less painful by the end of the first week. Though individual experiences can vary, most women find that the uterus has returned to its normal size by the end of six weeks.
Maintaining communication with your healthcare provider during this period is crucial. To make sure everything is healing properly, you must get medical attention if you experience severe pain or excessive bleeding. You can better manage your recuperation and concentrate on taking care of your new baby if you know what to anticipate.
