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

Caesarean section is a common method of childbirth for women. Generally, when the position of the fetus in the female uterus is relatively special, the doctor will recommend pregnant women to choose Caesarean section. Caesarean section is now divided into suture-removal type and non-suture-removal type. Due to the current development of medical care, the sutures can be absorbed into the skin without rejection reaction. So is it better to have a caesarean section with or without suture removal?

Is it better to remove the stitches after a caesarean section or not? Sutures are foreign bodies to the human body. The more sutures left under the skin, the more likely it is to stimulate local tissue to grow scars or have a foreign body reaction.

Although most of the absorbable sutures have been updated and can be absorbed and dissolved, with smaller rejection reactions and greater tissue compatibility, they are still foreign bodies after all.

There are also cosmetic sutures that can be removed, and doctors use these sutures that need to be removed. If you have a scar-prone constitution, you will get scars.

Whether to remove stitches after cesarean section cannot be generalized and is closely related to personal constitution. Generally speaking, absorbable sutures leave smaller scars, eliminating the fear and pain of suture removal. For patients with special physical conditions, absorbable sutures cannot be absorbed by the body and may result in rejection, leading to exudation and suppuration of the skin, and should be removed promptly. For patients with thick fat, high incision tension, or premature rupture of membranes and amniotic fluid contamination, removable ordinary silk sutures should be used for skin suture to facilitate wound healing.

Natural childbirth means suffering before giving birth, while caesarean section is just the opposite, it means suffering after giving birth. Although the pain from a caesarean section wound is far less than the labor pain from a natural birth, mothers who have had a caesarean section still suffer a lot.

Today let’s talk about the issue of removing stitches during cesarean section. There are generally two types of sutures, one is self-absorbable suture, which does not need to be removed, and the other is ordinary suture, which needs to be removed. Which of these two lines is better? In fact, it depends on your own situation.

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 better to 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. I want 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.