After the birth of a child, the body of a woman undergoes a number of changes. First of all, these changes concern genitals. The process of involution of the uterus is to restore the uterus's prenatal dimensions. This is accompanied by a gradual decrease in its size.
Involution of the uterus - what happens?
Involution of the uterus after childbirth usually lasts up to two months. At the same time, the level of the main hormones of a woman - estrogen and progesterone - decreases. In reducing the size of the uterus, oxytocin also participates. It is known that the effect of oxytocin is more pronounced in lactating women. Therefore, their uterus involution occurs faster. According to the schedule of the involution of the uterus, at the first time after the delivery there is a significant reduction in the size of the uterus. Then the bottom of the uterus descends about 1 cm daily. By the end of the second week, the upper border of the uterus descends to the level of pubic articulation.
After childbirth in the stage of involution, there may be a uterine myoma in the presence of myomatous changes in it. But it is possible that myoma can delay the process of returning the uterus to normal size.
Violation of involution
In the event of a violation of postpartum recovery, the process is called the subinvolution of the uterus . Anxious signs of subinvolution are bleeding, a rise in body temperature, a decrease in the tone of the uterus.
The rate of involution of the uterus in the postpartum period depends on many factors. The most significant factors are:
- Age of the woman. It is known that the process of involution of the uterus occurs much more slowly at the age of over 30 years.
- Complicated during pregnancy or childbirth.
- Multiple pregnancy.
- Lactation.
- The general condition of the woman's body, the presence of concomitant diseases.
- Attachment of the inflammatory component.
- Number of births. The more births, the more prolonged will be the involution.
In addition to postpartum involution, climacteric involution of the uterus is also distinguished - a decrease in its size with the extinction of the genital function of the organism.