Latest news with #cesareandelivery
Health Line
2 days ago
- Health
- Health Line
What Does Your Sex Life Look Like After a Cesarean Delivery?
You can resume sexual activity whenever you'd like, but you should avoid vaginal penetration until you get the green light from a healthcare professional. It may take 6 or more weeks to heal. Some people may feel ready to resume sexual activity sooner than others. It's ultimately up to you and your individual comfort level. However, healthcare professionals recommend that you wait until your cervix completely closes to engage in vaginal penetration of any kind. This includes: fingering or fisting inserting a dildo, vibrator, or other sex toy penis-in-vagina sex menstrual cups, discs, or tampons Timeline for recovery after a cesarean delivery You'll likely stay at the hospital for 2 to 4 days after a c-section so that healthcare professionals can monitor your recovery. During this time, they'll gradually reduce pain medications and remove your urinary catheter. As a nurse, I noticed that people who had a cesarean delivery usually did not experience as much bleeding as those who delivered vaginally. That's because some of the blood tends to get cleared out during surgery. However, you can still expect to bleed for four to six weeks. It also takes the uterus about six weeks to return to its typical size and for the cervix to close back up. The physical timeline for your body to heal after childbirth is pretty much the same, no matter how you deliver. Staples from the incision site will be removed within a week of surgery. The actual incision site itself should be healed by six weeks postpartum. But it's common for people to feel some discomfort in the incision area. Some experience numbness or tingling for months after surgery. This is generally OK, as long as the pain doesn't increase and isn't accompanied by other symptoms like a fever. Managing physical, mental, and emotional side effects The area around your incision site might be uncomfortable, so it will be helpful to try sex positions that don't put any pressure on your abdomen. The first time you have solo or partnered sex, you may be fearful of what it will feel like. Because sex is not just physical, it's also mental, any hesitation or fear you have about having sex again is very real and may have an effect on your sexual experience. Be sure to talk with your sexual partners, take your time, engage in some non-sexual intimacy to help you relax, and use over-the-counter lubrication to get started. Some people experience sexual dysfunction after a cesarean delivery, so if you find sex is abnormally painful, consider speaking with a healthcare professional. How to perform Kegels Kegels aren't just for your vagina. They're an exercise for the muscles in your whole pelvic floor. This is affected by pregnancy, no matter how you deliver. Start performing Kegels as soon as you'd like after birth. You can also start doing Kegels during pregnancy, before you deliver. To perform a Kegel: Squeeze your pelvic floor as if you were stopping urine midstream. Hold those muscles for a few seconds. Repeat as frequently as you'd like throughout the day. The more, the merrier. It's important to consider birth control Take it from this obstetrics nurse: I've taken care of more than one patient returning almost exactly nine months after delivering a baby to have a second. Pregnancy can happen pretty much immediately, even after you've given birth. Don't wait until you've resumed sexual activity to start your preferred birth control method. There are a lot of options for long-acting birth control. Many of these options are safe for people who are nursing. Talk with a healthcare professional about what method is best for you. When to consult a doctor or other healthcare professional Speak with a healthcare professional if you have increased pain, discharge, or bleeding after a cesarean delivery. I always tell my patients that they should start to feel better, not worse, as time goes on. If anything starts hurting more, it's a sign that something might be wrong. Having sex for the first time postpartum might be a little uncomfortable, especially if you're nursing, your menstrual period hasn't returned, or you're using hormonal birth control. All of these could lead to a lowered amount of natural vaginal secretions. Use lubrication and take your time. You should also keep an eye on your incision site as you recover. Contact a healthcare professional if the incision opens, is painful, or becomes reddened or swollen. These may be signs of an infection. The bottom line When it comes to enjoying sex after a cesarean delivery, remember to take your time and pay attention to your body. There's no rush to get back to 'normal.' You'll probably need a little time to adjust. Everyone is different, so communicate openly with each other. If you encounter any problems along the way, don't be afraid to talk with a doctor or other healthcare professional about resuming sexual activities. Trust me, they've seen it all. There's no such thing as an embarrassing question when it comes to your health.
Medscape
22-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Exposure to Antibiotics Preterm May Affect Lung Function
Premature infants exposed to multiple courses of antibiotics around the time of birth had weaker lung function and a higher risk for asthma episodes by early school age than those with lower exposure. METHODOLOGY: The study analyzed 3820 premature infants born between 22 and 36 weeks of gestation with low birth weights (< 1500 g); the infants were enrolled from 58 hospitals across Germany over an 8-year period starting in January 2009. Researchers divided the infants into three groups: Low-risk, or those exposed via their mothers who were given surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis in the 30 minutes before delivery; intermediate-risk, or children exposed prenatally and after birth; and high-risk, or children who had been exposed within 7 days of delivery prenatally, again at 30 minutes prior to birth, and after birth. The primary outcome was the lung function and the amount of air each infant exhaled in the first second of forced exhalation, measured at ages 5-7 years. Secondary outcomes included the total amount of air exhaled or forced vital capacity and asthma episodes during childhood. The analysis included 3109 participants born by cesarean delivery, with 292 (9.4%) in the low-risk group, 1329 (42.7%) in the intermediate-risk group, and 1488 (47.9%) in the high-risk group. TAKEAWAY: Children with intermediate risk scores had poorer lung function than those with low risk scores, as shown by lower forced exhalation in one second outcomes (β, −0.31; 95% CI, −0.59 to −0.02; P = .03). = .03). Those with high-risk antibiotic exposure vs intermediate risk had lower forced vital capacity scores (β, −0.23; 95% CI, −0.43 to −0.03; P = .02). = .02). Children with the highest level of exposure to antibiotics had a higher risk for early childhood asthma episodes than those with intermediate risk (odds ratio, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.32-2.76; P = .001). IN PRACTICE: 'Early identification of high-risk neonates may enable targeted strategies to support respiratory health and optimize long-term outcomes,' the study authors wrote. SOURCE: The study was led by Ingmar Fortmann, MD, of the Department of Pediatrics at the University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein at Campus Lübeck in Lübeck, Germany. It was published online on May 12 in JAMA Network Open . LIMITATIONS: The study had a low median follow-up rate that varied across clinics. The researchers did not have details on the dosage of antibiotics. Only children well enough to take lung function tests were included. Infants who received more antibiotics already had poor health status, which may have accounted for some of the findings. DISCLOSURES: One or more study authors reported receiving financial support fromthe Advanced Clinician Scientist Program and Section of Medicine at the University of Lübeck, personal fees from Chiesi, and grants from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. No other disclosures were reported.
