How long after childbirth can a new mother resume sexual activity?

by cshelive9520 on 2012-03-04 22:00:44

A. Contraception is essential: Research shows that women who do not breastfeed can resume ovulation approximately 40 to 50 days after childbirth, while those who partially breastfeed may recover ovulation between 3 to 8 months postpartum. Even fully breastfeeding women have a pregnancy rate of over 2%. However, many women mistakenly believe they cannot get pregnant after childbirth, especially those who partially or fully breastfeed, assuming that as long as they are nursing, they won't conceive. As a result, they often take no contraceptive measures. This leads to situations where menstruation has not yet returned but they find themselves unexpectedly pregnant again. The uterus during the postpartum breastfeeding period is more fragile, and if an abortion is performed during this time due to pregnancy, there's a higher risk of serious complications such as uterine perforation, which negatively affects the woman’s physical and mental health. Therefore, once sexual activity resumes after childbirth, reliable contraception methods like intrauterine devices (IUDs) or condoms should be properly implemented.

B. Sexual activity should be moderate, with gentle movements: Women who breastfeed postpartum experience suppressed ovarian function, and the follicles in the ovaries remain dormant. These dormant, undeveloped follicles cannot produce estrogen. Due to the lack of estrogen, the vaginal mucosa becomes thinner, more fragile, and less elastic. Therefore, after resuming sexual activity postpartum, the amplitude of penile thrusting should not be too large, the frequency should not be too fast, and the actions should not be too intense, especially during the first sexual encounter when restraint is advised. If the thrusting amplitude is too large, the penis inserts too deeply, or the frequency is too fast, it can lead to vaginal tears. Among these, crescent-shaped transverse tears in the posterior fornix of the vagina are particularly common. The main symptom of vaginal tears caused by postpartum sexual activity is active vaginal bleeding after intercourse, with bright red blood, and some women may experience pain. If active bleeding occurs after intercourse, timely medical attention should be sought to prevent excessive bleeding. After diagnosis, stitching the tear usually leads to proper healing.

C. Avoid resuming sexual activity too early: Full recovery of the uterus and complete healing of perineal incision wounds require at least six weeks. Therefore, it is best to resume sexual activity around eight weeks postpartum. Before resuming sexual activity postpartum, a postnatal check-up should be conducted. Currently, women who deliver vaginally, whether through normal delivery or difficult labor, almost always undergo episiotomy. After the fetus and placenta are delivered, the episiotomy wound needs to be sutured. During the healing process, granulation tissue forming on the vaginal mucosal part of the episiotomy wound is a common occurrence. If the granulation tissue is not removed, it can hinder the normal healing of the vaginal mucosa. Moreover, since granulation tissue is delicate, it can easily be damaged and cause bleeding during postpartum sexual intercourse.

It is recommended that new mothers undergo a postnatal examination before resuming sexual activity to promptly detect any abnormal conditions such as granulation tissue in the wound and receive timely treatment.

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