How long does it take for a laceration during childbirth to heal?

Modern medical science and technology is relatively advanced. Take childbirth for example. In a word, our female compatriots can give birth to children with confidence! Most people probably know that when giving birth, as long as conditions permit, natural birth is the best choice. It has many benefits compared to caesarean section! However, normal childbirth may still face problems such as episiotomy and laceration. Here, let's talk about how long it takes for a laceration during childbirth to heal.

The uterus can be said to be the organ in the mother's body that undergoes the greatest changes during pregnancy and childbirth. It can grow from the original 50 grams to 1000 grams at full term. Generally speaking, it takes about 6-8 weeks for the uterus to return to its original size after delivery.

Of course, although it is the sacred temple of female fertility, it is also a place that is more vulnerable to trauma, so we need to take good care of and maintain the uterus. As long as we care for it and take good care of it, it will recover soon. Uterine recovery mainly includes three aspects, namely the recovery of the endometrium, the recovery of the cervix and the recovery of the uterine body.

1. Restoration of the endometrium

After the placenta and fetal membranes separate from the uterine wall and are expelled from the mother, a new layer of endometrium will grow from the basal layer of the endometrium. About 10 days after delivery, except for the surface where the placenta is attached, the rest of the uterine cavity will be completely covered by the new endometrium. Just after delivery, the area of ​​the uterine wall where the placenta is attached is about the size of the palm. By about 2 weeks after delivery, the diameter has shrunk to 3-4 cm, but it will take 6-8 weeks after delivery to heal completely.

If there is residual placenta or fetal membrane tissue in the uterus, or the uterus does not contract well after delivery, the recovery of the uterus will be slowed down. In order to return to its original size after delivery, the uterus needs to contract more forcefully, so the mother will feel the pain of postpartum contractions within one week after delivery. This contraction will be more obvious when the mother is breastfeeding, but it will not be unbearable. Experts at Xuexiang Hospital believe that more skin contact with children and breastfeeding are the best stimulation to promote uterine recovery.

2. Restoration of the cervix

Just after delivery, the cervix becomes very soft due to congestion and edema. The cervical wall is also very thin and wrinkled like a cuff. It will take 7 days to return to its original shape. The internal cervix will close after 7-10 days. It takes until about 4 weeks after delivery for the cervix to return to its normal size.

3. Restoration of the uterus

After the placenta is expelled, the uterus will contract immediately. You can feel a very hard and spherical uterine body in the abdomen with your hands. Its highest point is at the same level as the navel. In the future, the height of the fundus of the uterus will decrease by 1-2 cm every day. About 10-14 days after delivery, the uterus will become smaller and descend into the small pelvic cavity. At this time, the fundus of the uterus cannot be felt in the abdomen.