The body of a woman is full of secrets and mysteries. Surely everyone knows that only a representative of the weaker sex can give birth to their own kind. In this case, you need to have an adjusted hormonal background and a menstrual cycle. During childbirth, doctors can distinguish several periods. One of them involves the separation of the placenta. It is about him that will be discussed in this article. You will learn what the afterbirth is and why it is needed. We will also talk about the normal course of this period and its possible deviations.
Pregnancy and childbirth
Before you say what the afterbirth is, you should get acquainted with some features of the female body. About once a month, a representative of the weaker sex has a rupture of the follicle and, as a result, ovulation. The released cell is sent towards the reproductive organ through the fallopian tubes. This is where conception usually occurs. The fertilized egg descends into the uterine cavity and is securely fixed on its wall. This is where pregnancy will develop. Every day the fetus increases in size andacquires new skills.
When the baby is ready to be born, the first stage of labor begins. Most often, this process occurs for a period of 38 to 42 weeks. It is worth noting that the baby may appear at an earlier time. In this case, he may need qualified medical assistance.
First and second stages of labor
At this stage, the cervix opens and the fetus is expelled from the cavity of the reproductive organ. Normally, this manipulation occurs naturally. However, in some cases, medication or even surgery may be required. The average duration of the first and second periods in the aggregate ranges from 2-4 to 10-16 hours.
Third stage of labor: what is afterbirth?
Immediately after the baby has left the birth canal, the third stage of labor begins. It is characterized by the expulsion of the remaining membranes from the uterine cavity. What is afterbirth? This is an education that is formed in the first third of pregnancy. It is the placenta that supplies the fetus with blood, oxygen and many other nutrients. Also, the placenta during the stay of the baby in the womb is able to perform a protective function. The placenta reliably protects the baby from toxic substances and certain medications.
The afterbirth got its name due to the fact that it leaves the cavity of the genital organ last. Nature designed it this way so that throughout the process the baby could receive oxygen and the substances he needs from the mother's body.
Howis the placenta expelled?
Isolation of the placenta can occur in two ways: natural and forced. Much depends on the structure of the genital organ, diseases of the woman's reproductive system, complications during pregnancy, and so on. The way the baby is born also plays a big role.
Natural birth
If a woman has no indications for surgical intervention, then she goes through all the stages of childbirth. When the baby leaves the uterine cavity, the discharge of the placenta begins. This process may take 10 to 30 minutes.
After birth, the baby is placed next to the entrance to the vagina and wait for the moment when the umbilical cord stops pulsing. After that, the crumbs are separated from the mother. The uterus in the first minutes begins to actively shrink and decrease in size. All this contributes to the separation of the placenta from its walls.
Already a few minutes after the separation of the baby from the mother, the doctor checks whether the placenta is ready to leave its place. To do this, the obstetrician or gynecologist puts the edge of the hand on the lower region of the peritoneum and slightly presses. If the hanging cord is not pulled back, then the birth of the placenta can begin.
All this time the uterus undergoes contractions. A newly-made mother may simply not feel this, since their intensity is much lower than during childbirth. The doctor draws attention to when the next contraction will begin, and asks the woman to push a little. It is enough for a woman to take a full chest of air and tighten the abdominal wall. Already inthe next minute the afterbirth will come out of the uterine cavity. You can find a photo of this formation in the article.
Caesarean section
If a woman gives birth to a baby by caesarean section, then the afterbirth may separate in a slightly different way. The photo of the operation is presented to your attention.
During the manipulation, the doctor cuts the uterine cavity and removes the baby from it. Immediately after this, the uterus may begin to shrink, but this does not always happen. Due to injury to blood vessels and muscle walls, the contractility of the organ may be temporarily lost. In this case, the doctor has to separate the afterbirth with the help of hands and special tools.
The doctor holds the wall of the uterus with one brush, and with the fingers of the other slowly and carefully separates the formation.
Examination of placenta
The afterbirth after childbirth is under scrutiny. If everything went well and there were no complications, then the doctors put the placenta on a large metal plate. In this case, the mother side should be at the top.
Through careful study, an assessment of the degree of maturity of the organ is set. Normally, the age of the placenta has the 1st or 2nd degree. If during pregnancy a woman had to lead a not entirely correct lifestyle and use a lot of medicines, then there may be a third degree of development of the placenta.
Also, the placenta after childbirth is examined for damage. When they are detected, we can talk about some complications. The doctor measures the placenta with a special tape and records its size inancestral map. All this plays a big role in the description of the process.
What does the afterbirth look like in most women? This is a large disc, which is penetrated by many vessels and veins. The color of this formation can be from blue to bright red. All of these are considered normal. Also, the umbilical cord departs from the placenta, which normally has three main vessels. She is examined in the same way and all data obtained is recorded.
Possible problems
Afterbirth after childbirth (a photo of education is presented in the article) does not always work out as intended. In some cases, problems or complications arise. One of the most common pathologies is the retention of the placenta. Also, the placenta can adhere to the cavity of the genital organ or exfoliate prematurely. Consider the main options for complications and ways to eliminate them.
Retention of the placenta
If after half an hour after the birth of the child there was no separation of the placenta, then we can talk about its tight attachment. In this case, one part of the organ often leaves and bleeding occurs. At the same time, a woman may complain of mild pain, which an inexperienced doctor takes for uterine contractions.
If the placenta lingers in the cavity of the reproductive organ, then the obstetrician or gynecologist tries to separate it manually. It is worth noting that during the manipulation it is forbidden to pull or pull on the umbilical cord. The doctor inserts his hand into the uterine cavity and slowly tries to separate the placenta. This manipulation can be carried out under general or local anesthesia. Howeversome medical institutions do not provide such services, because the manual removal of the placenta is "profitable". When the placenta separates, the genital organ and the walls of the vagina are carefully examined for any debris or injury.
Ingrown placenta
This pathology most often occurs in women who have previously undergone a caesarean section or any other operation that left scars on the uterine area. If the placenta is attached in the suture area, then fusion of the walls may occur. It is worth noting that such a pathology occurs quite rarely (in about 5 cases out of 1000).
The complication is characterized by the fact that the doctor cannot separate the placenta area even with the help of hands. If the afterbirth did not come out, what to do in this case? The woman needs urgent surgery. It is produced under anesthesia. During the procedure, the doctor removes the entire uterus with the placenta, as there is no other treatment option. Otherwise, the woman may die from excessive blood loss.
Premature detachment of placenta
During childbirth or immediately after them, such a complication may occur. In this case, the woman experiences severe pain, which resembles a long, endless fight. If a complication arose in the first or second stage of childbirth, then the pathology can lead to the death of the baby. Also, a woman risks losing a large amount of blood. That is why, with premature detachment of the placenta, an emergency caesarean section is performed. The only exceptions are those cases when the fetus has already entered the birth canalwomen.
When the placenta is delivered prematurely, a damaged area occurs between the wall of the uterus and the placenta. This leads to the accumulation of blood in the area. With a long delay, the liquid can soak through the wall of the reproductive organ and seep into the abdominal cavity. In this case, there is only one way out of this situation - the removal of the placenta along with the uterus.
Retention of parts of the placenta in the uterus
Quite a few women are faced with the fact that the placenta does not come out completely. The doctor can detect the pathology at the next examination with an ultrasound sensor. Also, the symptoms of the disease are the following signs: fever, abdominal pain and severe bleeding.
Correction in this case involves scraping. It is carried out under general or local anesthesia within the walls of the hospital.
How to promote proper separation of the placenta
In order to avoid any complications during childbirth, it is necessary to deal with their prevention during pregnancy. The expectant mother is recommended to lead an active lifestyle (if there is no threat of termination of pregnancy), as well as eat right. If a woman has scars on the uterus or any formations in her cavity, then you need to carefully monitor the attached placenta. During diagnostic ultrasound manipulations, the specialist pays attention to where the placenta is located.
Also, after the expulsion of the fetus from the reproductive organ, the doctor can massage the wallsuterus. In this case, its contractile function will increase, and the afterbirth will leave its location faster and easier.
Summing up
So now you know what a last is. After childbirth (a photo of the process is presented in the article), some formations are sent for additional analysis, which is called histology. Most often, it is necessary if the baby died during birth. Also, histology is assigned to those women in labor whose afterbirths have neoplasms in the form of cysts, polyps or nodes of an unknown nature.
The placenta is a vital component for the baby while he is in the womb. Every woman in labor should have an idea of what the afterbirth is and when it leaves the female body. Give birth easily and on time. He alth to you and your kids!
