Health encyclopaedia

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Recovery of Caesarean section

This is much the same as for any other abdominal operation except that the mother will usually be in a healthier state. She should be able to get out of bed fairly soon after the operation, and the hospital will give instructions about how soon she can resume normal activities.

In general it will take about six weeks for all the tissues to heal completely. However, before this time the basic activities of life such as caring for the baby and for herself should be possible, but the mother should avoid heavy lifting and may need help especially in the days immediately after the birth.

If the operation was done for a reason that will not have changed for the next delivery (for instance, if the mother has a very narrow birth canal), a Caesarean section will be necessary for each childbirth.

Also, the scar left on the womb will mean that any future labours will not be allowed to go on for too long, since this may risk the scar opening up, which would be dangerous.

 Women who have had a previous Caesarean section are usually offered what is called a ‘trial of scar’, where they are left to go into labour in the usual way but are closely monitored. Any sign of a hold-up in the progress of labour then leads to an emergency Caesarean section.

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