Do I need to remove the stitches after a caesarean section?

When the human body is injured and scars are formed, surgery is required to suture the scars, and the stitches need to be removed during recovery. In the past, when cesarean section surgery was not yet mature, the risk of cesarean section was relatively high, and the scars left by the cesarean section needed to be removed after the operation. The process of removing stitches can be said to be more painful than the process of stitching, so many women are afraid of removing stitches. Does caesarean section surgery still need to be done with stitches removed?

Is it better to remove the stitches or not during a caesarean section?

If you have a good physical condition, it is better not to remove the stitches. Absorbable stitches generally leave smaller scars, which can eliminate the fear of removing stitches. However, if you have a poor physical condition and cannot absorb the absorbable sutures, it is recommended that you remove the sutures. It is best to decide based on your own situation.

Precautions for caesarean section stitch removal

If ordinary thread is used during the operation, three stitches are usually required to prevent the sutures from breaking. Go to the hospital to remove the stitches 5 days after the cesarean section, and it usually doesn't take more than a week.

However, if protein collagen thread is used for sutures during the operation, the sutures will be automatically absorbed by the body after the operation and there is no need to remove them afterwards. However, the rest time may be longer than for mothers who use ordinary thread, and they can only walk around 7 days after giving birth.

In addition, since the stitches have been removed or the protein collagen thread has been absorbed, it means that the wound has healed. The mother can then cover the stitches with gauze for two days. This can speed up the removal of the scars left by the stitches. Avoid exerting your abdominal muscles for a short period of time after surgery, otherwise a knife-edge hernia may easily form. At the same time, you should maintain local hygiene, avoid wetting and contaminating the wound, have a balanced diet, and eat less or no spicy or irritating food.

When should the stitches be removed? Currently, absorbable sutures are mostly used to suture surgical incisions, and they do not need to be removed after surgery. The doctor will change the sterile dressing one day after the operation. If there is no abnormality, the dressing will be changed once more before discharge.

What to do if the incision oozes blood: The incision should be closely observed for bleeding within 24 hours after the operation. If there is bleeding, the dressing (mainly the gauze covering the incision) should be changed in time and the cause should be found out.

What to do if the incision is red and swollen: If the incision is red and swollen after surgery, infrared irradiation can be performed under the guidance of medical staff, and the dressing should be changed daily.

Whether it is better to remove the stitches or not during a caesarean section depends on individual circumstances. Caesarean section surgery is now very mature. As long as you go to a regular hospital for the surgery, there will generally be no problems. The editor would like to remind everyone that no matter which method you choose, don’t be afraid, believe in yourself and the doctor, and the baby and mother will be safe.