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Childbirth Complications
Description
Many problems may occur during puerperium, the period from the end of the third stage of labor until the involution of the uterus has occurred (may be three to six weeks). Prevention, early examination and detection, and treatment are very important.
Nerve damage
Nerves in the pelvis are pressed as the baby passes through. There may be pain and cramping in the legs and buttocks, but it is not serious and it does not last long.
The legs may cramp up during labor because of how the legs rest on the delivery bed. Massage the legs to loosen up the muscles.
Caution is needed when resting the legs on the bed, because leaving them too long will press the nerves and cause problems with sensation and motor skills.
Lower body anesthetics used during surgery can reduce sensation in one or both legs, cause abnormal sensations, or make motor skills slow and sluggish. As long as there is no inflammation or nerve damage, these symptoms will get better with time.
Genitourinary fistula
Careful observation is needed if a vertical perineotomy has been performed, because a hole made between the perineum and anus or vagina and rectum can cause inflammation.
Relaxation of pelvic joints
Sometimes during a normal delivery the pelvis can widen too much and the central part of the pubic bone can widen. Occasionally, pubic bone pain prevents some women from walking or makes movement difficult. This also gets better with time.
Coccyx (Tailbone) Fracture
The tailbone is small and weak and breaks easily. Rarely, the tailbone is broken during vaginal delivery because the baby's head pushes the tailbone too much.
At first it goes unnoticed because of labor pains; after birth, the pain is thought to be normal. When the pain continues, some women will return to the hospital, however, it can heal without treatment if there is no irritation.
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