Features of the physiology of the postpartum period after caesarean section

Abstract

The main principle of perinatal obstetrics is to ensure the health of the mother, fetus and newborn, which in some cases requires quick and gentle delivery. Therefore, during the last decades, cesarean section (CS) in obstetric practice has become a tool that allows you to preserve the health of both the mother and the child. Despite its wide distribution, CS is classified as a category of complex operations with a high frequency of postoperative complications (3.3%-54.4%), which are associated with the intervention technique, obstetric and neonatal reasons. Potential structural and functional complications include: the risk of pulmonary, gastrointestinal and vascular complications; postoperative pain and discomfort; pelvic organ prolapse; posture change; pelvic floor dysfunction; weakness of the abdominal wall; diastasis of rectus abdominis muscles; umbilical hernia; general functional limitations. Scientific progress in medicine, social and cultural changes have led to fundamental transformations in the attitude to CS among women and doctors. In fact, the consensus regarding indications for caesarean section has changed in many countries, now including psychosocial factors such as anxiety about childbirth or the mother's desire for caesarean section in the absence of any medical indication. The postpartum period is a critical, but often overlooked, period in the lives of new parents. According to the WHO, the majority of maternal and newborn deaths occur during this period, so proper management and care of parents and newborns is vitally important. The postpartum period is usually divided into three separate but continuous phases: acute phase (early postpartum period) - 24 hours immediately after childbirth; subacute phase (late postpartum period): can last 2-6 weeks after childbirth; late phase - can last from 6 weeks to 6 months after childbirth. The postpartum period is characterized by a wide range of new states of women's life and increased sensitivity to external factors. The whole range of postnatal changes can be considered as an integrative combination of psychological, physiological and endocrine factors that affect the physical and mental activity of women, as well as determine their relationship with the child. Therefore, a caesarean section should be performed according to indications with a mandatory justification. The presence of a postoperative scar in women who underwent an abdominal delivery causes changes in the postpartum period in the form of a specific limitation of mobility during its formation. This aspect is all the more important from the point of view of the onset of future pregnancies, which requires the formation of a full-fledged elastic strong scar on the uterus and soft tissues. The formation of a scar in the postpartum period, in connection with the need for care and feeding of the child, changes as a result of sleep and rest regimes, additionally increases the metabolic, physical, psycho-emotional load, which causes pressure on the adaptive capabilities of the regulatory systems of the woman's body against the background of reconstruction and recovery structural and hormonal components. A woman's condition directly affects her ability to care for and raise a child, return to work and social activity, as well as the quality of life, both personally and within the framework of the environment. Therefore, certain recovery measures are necessary for their normalization as soon as possible.