How does a woman’s body change after childbirth?


Immunological conflict

In immunological incompatibility, the problem is caused by antibodies. They appear in the mucus produced by the cervix during ovulation. The task of mucus is to help sperm quickly reach the egg in order to fertilize it. Antibodies have the opposite task - to immobilize sperm. And if they cope with it, pregnancy does not occur.


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Antibodies can be produced in a woman against the germ cells of any partner or only one specific one. Science cannot accurately explain such a strange reaction, but it names provoking factors:

- weakened immunity,

– sexual diseases or any other infections,

- a large number of sexual partners and casual relationships in the past,

- abortions,

- stress,

- hormonal imbalances.

Immunological incompatibility is detected using a postcoital test, which is also called Shuvarsky's test. To conduct it, secretions are taken from the woman’s cervix a few hours after intercourse - no more than 12 hours should pass.

Another important condition is that the test is carried out during ovulation. To determine the right time, measure your basal temperature or use special test strips. The laboratory technician examines the material from the cervix: he looks to see if there are sperm in it, how many there are and how mobile they are. The test usually takes about 20 minutes.

Psychology

The enormous psychological burden on a woman during the postpartum period, worries about the health and proper development of the child, lack of sleep, and fatigue lead to a decrease in psychomotor reactions. Moreover, some women giving birth during this period of time may suffer from postpartum depression. It is expressed in frequent mood swings, increased tearfulness, and insomnia.

Such mothers need special support and help from family and friends, and they are also recommended to consult a psychotherapist.

It is during the period of postpartum recovery that most often there is a crisis in family relationships. The appearance of a new family member requires a change in existing foundations and habits. The redistribution of roles and household responsibilities does not always go smoothly. In some families it is accompanied by conflicts and in some cases it can lead to divorce. This problem is also psychological in nature and requires the willingness of spouses to make concessions in order to preserve the family.

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Features of the physical and psychological state of a woman after childbirth

A nutritious, balanced diet, walks in the fresh air, and short breaks for rest will allow the female body to recover quickly after the birth of a child. The main thing during this period is to pay attention not only to the newborn baby, but also to your own health. If the functioning of some systems or organs has not been restored to their original state, the mother in labor should definitely consult a doctor about this, since treatment of emerging pathologies in the early stages is much more effective than treatment of advanced chronic diseases.

Genetic identity

Genetic incompatibility awaits partners if they have similar specific genes - HLA. Usually, each person has an individual combination of these genes, and this is important for the normal course of pregnancy.

After fertilization, the embryo inherits the HLA genes of both the mother and father. The female immune system reacts to “foreigners” in the form of paternal HLA genes, but in response to this, special immune reactions are launched: lymphocytes in the uterus produce antibodies that protect the embryo from attack by maternal killer lymphocytes. As a result, the pregnancy continues to develop successfully.

This process is disrupted when the partners' HLA genes are identical. The fetus does not contain genes foreign to the female body, and the mechanisms for maintaining pregnancy are not triggered.

The immune system perceives the embryo as a mutation of its own cells and attacks it. This often ends in miscarriage or fetal death.

Doctors note that a genetic match between parents does not always end tragically for the child. Sometimes pregnancy develops normally. Or it happens that one pregnancy is successful, while another can develop only thanks to the efforts of doctors.


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To find out compatibility in terms of genetics, a couple needs to do an analysis. It is recommended to carry it out only when there have already been problems with bearing a fetus and only with the direction of a geneticist.

Venous blood is collected from both partners, and a geneticist examines it within two weeks. A man and a woman are considered genetically incompatible if at least two similar HLA genes are found in their blood. We hasten to reassure you that genetically similar parents are rare. However, partners from the same family are more likely to have similar HLA genes, which is why consanguineous marriages are undesirable.

It is possible to bear a healthy child with genetic incompatibility with the help of modern medicine. The couple will be advised to undergo immunocytotherapy. Its essence is that lymphocytes are isolated from the partner’s blood and injected under the skin of the partner. This stimulates the female immune system to synthesize antibodies that protect the embryo. The procedure is painless, highly effective, but has some contraindications. For example, you cannot administer the blood of a husband who has hepatitis or is a carrier of the human immunodeficiency virus.

Is it possible to get pregnant from yourself? How does conception occur?

What to do when you really want a child, but a man is not expected to participate in the process of conception. Here logic comes to a dead end and it seems that this is from the realm of science fiction.

But there is such a thing as parthenogenesis . This is reproduction without the participation of the opposite sex. For those who have forgotten the basics of biology in school, let us remind you that such a possibility exists in nature.

But can a girl get pregnant on her own ?

Features of virgin conception: parthenogenesis

The concept of division of an unfertilized egg in the female body is referred to as virgin reproduction .

There are two types of parthenogenesis.

  • Haploid – provides for the development of a female or male individual. Everything directly depends on the set of chromosomes. This type of reproduction is typical for some insects.
  • Diploid - only a female individual develops. Present in lizards and rotifers. Thus, in a female during diploid parthenogenesis, a new female develops from an unfertilized egg. In spite of everything, the population size can be maintained even without the copulation of opposite-sex individuals.

You don’t have to worry that if you wake up in the morning you can find out that you are pregnant without previous sexual intercourse. The virgin birth is not at all typical for people.

Nature has provided this method of reproduction for those species that die en masse. In most cases, these are insects and some types of plants.

In humans, conception can only occur when an egg is fertilized by a sperm .

Is it possible to give birth from yourself?

If we consider the process of pregnancy from itself from the point of view of parthenogenesis, then this is impossible. Cases of virgin conception have not been recorded in the entire history of humankind.

Pregnancy occurs only if the egg is fertilized by a sperm. But how the seminal fluid got into the girl’s vagina is another question.

Regardless of whether this happened during sexual intercourse or through artificial insemination. Therefore, the hypothesis of pregnancy from itself is false. In any case, male seminal fluid is needed to conceive a new life.

It is very difficult to logically explain how one can give birth without conception.

Conception process

To conceive a child, a girl must reach puberty, and the egg must be prepared for the fertilization process. The process of conception occurs naturally when, during sexual intercourse, the male penis is inserted into the female vagina, without using any contraception.

Upon completion of sexual intercourse, the man achieves sexual pleasure and ejaculation occurs. Millions of sperm enter the woman’s genitals and actively seek to find a mature egg.

Pregnancy will occur only if sexual intercourse occurs on the day of ovulation or other dangerous days. The fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus and begins to develop. Consequently, after nine months a full-fledged child is born. We come to the conclusion that the process of conception cannot be done without the participation of a man.

Can a girl somehow get pregnant from herself?

As it has already turned out, a girl cannot become pregnant without male sperm.

If you introduce seminal fluid into the vagina on your own, then from some side it will look like pregnancy from itself. But virgin reproduction cannot exist in nature without male help.

This phenomenon can only be present in the scripts of science fiction films, but not in real life. To preserve the species, human conception occurs through sexual intercourse between opposite-sex partners.

Virgin reproduction: conclusions

If a girl is not sexually active, then there is no need to worry about pregnancy somehow occurring. Science has proven that virgin reproduction is not typical for humans. Only when sperm enters the female genital organs can conception occur.

Some teenagers may be concerned about pregnancy from themselves. Is it possible to get pregnant through masturbation ? No, such a scenario is also not provided for in nature. This possibility cannot be excluded if there was petting with ejaculation on the girl’s outer labia.

How to avoid pregnancy?

If a girl has a full sex life, then there is every chance of pregnancy. If sexual partners do not plan to have a child, then it is necessary to use contraception.

The most accessible and common barrier contraceptive is the condom. For regular partners, the use of hormonal contraception is recommended. To choose a more acceptable method of protection against unwanted pregnancy, you need to consult a gynecologist.

We came to the conclusion that it is impossible to get pregnant from yourself unless you are a representative of bees, ants and other insects. If such a possibility was provided for by nature, then people would be same-sex.

The concepts of parthenogenesis and humans are very far from each other, and to say that a girl can have a child through virgin reproduction is simply stupid. Therefore, whatever you say, you cannot have a child without the participation of a man, even a distant one.

Remember that for conception, whether in humans or any other animal, seminal fluid is necessary.

Source: https://MamaVika.com/beremennost/zdorove/mozhno-li-zaberemenet-ot-samoy-sebya.html

“Our business is not to give birth” - this is how the vulgar proverb begins about how frivolous men run away from their mistresses who become pregnant. However, in life the opposite situation also occurs - when women use men as a source of sperm in order to become pregnant and give birth for themselves. Today Anews finds out what forum visitors and experts think about this.

Agree with a potential father or get pregnant in secret? Where to find a donor? And what do psychologists warn against?

“A child should be the fruit of love, and not a foundling of despair”

"Hello! I’m already 32, I never managed to get married, I want to give birth to a child without a husband, “for myself.”

I’m wondering where to find a decent donor? One option is to choose a young and handsome guy for bed without obligation on a dating site. But I'm afraid of getting sexually transmitted diseases.

Another option is to take a married person, one of your colleagues or acquaintances. There are some men who are not averse to it. But, of course, it is unpleasant to get involved with someone else's husband. What would you suggest?"

Posts like this open a lot of online forums. How do people react to them? There are many negative reactions - with many saying that it is too early to make such a decision, even at 32 years old:

“A child should be the fruit of love, and not a foundling of despair. 32 is a relatively young age. Penelope Cruz and Aishwarya Rai gave birth at 39, Madonna at 40 and 45, Bellucci is also over 40.

Check your fertility, there is such a service in medical clinics, a supply of eggs. Still, you are not 40.

You can take a child from an orphanage, but this is still more noble than initially dooming a child to fatherlessness.”

In fact, Madonna gave birth to her youngest son, Rocco, at 42 years old. Photo – Getty Images

“My opinion is this: 32 years means nothing at all. Look for a man who WANTS to become a real father. Believe me, there are such people. A child must be born from love. At least to be born... maybe then everything won’t work out 50% of the time.”

There are, however, those who consider this age quite suitable:

“My father died when I was 8. There was a lot of everything in life: there were tears, resentment, despair, envy for those to whom fathers came, for example, to college, to a dorm... But I have a good stepfather. Of course, there is no kinship and closeness, like with your own father - but he will both support and scold, if necessary.

We are used to dividing everything into black and white... there is a father - good, no - bad. In life, really, different things happen. The author is not 15 years old, I think she has thought through everything more than once, and is giving birth not because it’s time, but because she wants to be a mother. And if so, then you definitely need to give birth to a baby, IVF bases will help you.”

And some even say that it’s worth starting earlier:

“Give birth, then it will be too late. I am 40 years old, expecting my 2nd child without a husband. There is simply a father with whom we communicate, we do not live and do not intend to live, and even his father will not be in the count. He's just interested in seeing his own child.

It's hard to walk at this age. It was easier when I was young, 10 years ago. Now I drive a car, so it’s easier. Today I walked 3 stops, it’s hard, there’s something stabbing in my stomach. Even for the first child you are giving birth too late. In short, get pregnant quickly. But one child is still not enough. You need at least two. So that later the child will not be alone when he becomes an adult. I wish you good luck and health!” Depositphotos

Where to look for a “donor”? Of course, many people call the most reliable option to go through the procedure of artificial insemination. But here everything is not so simple:

“In banks, donors are checked only conditionally, for infections and that’s it. Whether you drank or didn’t drink in the last 3 days, they also take your word for it. The questionnaires give only approximate parameters - height, hair and eye color. But in reality, a man can be very unattractive and ugly.

No one in the banks knows about genetics, again, only from the words of the donor. Maybe his father or mother is schizophrenic - this has not been verified.

Author, you are still just a girl, you shouldn’t rush. But if you decide to do such a thing, then it is better to find a specific man whom you can at least see outwardly: his manners, habits. Pay for all the tests yourself, it’s inexpensive, you can honestly say why you need it without obligation. But giving birth to a child from a pig in a poke... I just saw these donors. No need".

“Many people find it on websites; you just type “sperm donor” into a search engine and choose. There you can arrange a personal meeting, and all the certificates will be provided, and, if you wish, the donors will retake all the tests. Many men there are married and already have children of their own.

Depositphotos

Only, of course, there will be no intimate connection. You can do insemination in a clinic, or you can do it at home - the main thing is that you don’t have any health problems.”

“So that you give birth to a cerebral disabled person and suffer with him all your life!”

However, donation and artificial insemination are still specific. Many people prefer to do it the old fashioned way:

“I’ve been coming to this decision for 2 years, it’s not spontaneous. I will give birth to a child and raise it myself. I'm 34, I don't have a man, I have a constant lover. He is 30, does not smoke, has a beautiful physique, and is quite smart. I will get pregnant from him, I have already stopped taking birth control.

He has no idea about my plans. I will not have any claims against him for alimony, I will sign any paper. I’m afraid that if I tell him, he won’t agree and will disappear, but he suits me according to all the characteristics.” Depositphotos

In this case, in addition to the usual disagreements, the problem of deception arises - is it permissible to become pregnant in this way? Many confidently say no:

“She thinks about herself, wants to experience buns - it’s like a series, smelling a child, happiness hormones are rampant and all that. The author DOESN'T THINK about the child. Feeding is not the same as educating. For example, she wants to act like a pig towards another person. Seal the child from him behind his back. This is already a fucking new indicator - who knows what else she’s capable of?”

“Think for the unborn child: does he want to be born to be a slave to a selfish mother and without a father? And the lover should also know that You are using him! This will be his child too! 50/50 (although more like 30/30/40).”

"You just ***! You are using a person in the dark in such a matter. It's because of people like you that they say that all women are ***! So that you give birth to a cerebral disabled person and suffer with him all your life!”

Some people believe that, on the contrary, it is correct to become pregnant in this way - in order to punish a frivolous man who does not want to protect himself:

“If a lover does not want children, let him use a condom and keep his gene pool intact. And if all contraception is at the expense of the woman, then be prepared for the unexpected. The author could get pregnant by accident; the pills are not as reliable as they say. Banal poisoning with vomiting and diarrhea – and hello, pregnancy.” Depositphotos

“If a woman does NOT want to, then she will use contraception and will NOT get pregnant, because she understands that she has to give birth.

And here, for some reason, the man does NOT want children, but for some reason he does not protect himself (from a great mind, apparently). That is, men have no logic. Any sensible person understands that you need to protect yourself if you don’t want children.”

Someone thought that deception was quite acceptable - after all, the goal was noble:

“Yes, a quarter of the country is committing such deception. Only many do this for selfish purposes - to get married, get some money. And then give life and love to a new person. And don’t demand anything in return, if anything. These are different things." Depositphotos

And someone - that there can be no trace of nobility here:

“It seems to me that people who are so unhappy, who do not trust Nature, which creates new children, should not give birth at all until they solve their problems. Children don't do that. They should not be tortured, stolen, kidnapped.

The basis of any life, and indeed any project, should be love. And you, as I said, have cowardice and your miserable loneliness. But you are wrong on all counts. Nothing will emphasize your loneliness, worthlessness, and unhappiness like a child. He cannot be born for the sake of having love in your life. Simply because he comes for love. And he will TAKE, and not give.”

As a result, the author saw a gender division in the discussion and summed it up: “I looked through the comments - the men are not happy with my idea) So, I won’t devote myself to my plans. He’ll get cold feet and most likely run away.”

Different Rh factors

Rh factor is a protein. If it is present on the surface of red blood cells - erythrocytes - a person's blood is considered Rh positive. According to statistics, this is the kind of blood that flows through the veins of 85% of people. But sometimes there is no protein on the red blood cells, in which case the blood is called Rh negative.

The presence of the Rh factor does not affect conception in any way, but it is of great importance for bearing a fetus and the birth of a healthy child. More precisely, you need to be wary only in one case: when mom’s blood is negative and dad’s is positive.

If the baby inherits his father’s positive blood, the mother’s immune system will “rebel” against red blood cells with an unfamiliar protein and begin to produce antibodies against them.

In the case of the opposite situation, when the mother’s blood is positive and the fetus’s blood is negative, there will be no conflict. The Rh factor is already familiar to the female body, and the fact that it is absent on the red blood cells of the embryo does not matter.

However, antibodies against “foreign” red blood cells are produced only if the blood of the mother and baby is mixed. This usually happens during childbirth. Therefore, the first pregnancy with incompatibility of Rh factors passes without conflicts and does not affect the health of the child. Of course, if the mother has not had an abortion or miscarriage before.


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During the second pregnancy, if the embryo is positive again, the antibodies will already be activated. At this time, the mother may feel great and not even suspect that her own immune system is at war with the baby. Such a war could end in the death of the fetus or the birth of a child with serious pathologies.

To prevent this from happening, in the first 72 hours after birth, the mother is administered a drug with anti-Rhesus immunoglobulin. It removes fetal red blood cells from the mother's bloodstream and thus “calms” her immune system. During the next pregnancy, immunoglobulin is reintroduced.

Earlier recovery

During this period, the production of colostrum begins, and after a few days, milk begins, the uterine muscles actively contract, the inside of the uterus is covered with a new layer of epithelium, and the cervix and pharynx return to their original shape.

Immediately after childbirth, the endocrine system begins to actively secrete the hormone prolactin, which should ensure lactation and the production of breast milk to feed the baby. This hormone suppresses the production of estrogen and progesterone, so their levels in the female body immediately drop sharply. This causes a temporary decrease in metabolic activity, a slowdown in fat processing, which provokes the formation of fatty tissue and can lead to excess weight.

In this way, nature provides the nursing mother with nutrient reserves in case her diet is too meager. In addition, the digestibility of food by the body changes.

Since it increases significantly, he will receive a much larger amount of calories, which will certainly cause an increase in body weight.

During the period of early recovery, a woman's uterus is in a spastic state. It bleeds quite a lot, since its surface has not yet completely healed, so there is bloody discharge from the birth canal. The vessels that feed the tissues of the uterus are often in a compressed or damaged state due to sudden muscle contractions. Poor circulation slows down tissue regeneration processes.

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When can a woman go to church after giving birth?

Changes in hormonal levels after the birth of a child often lead to a sharp change in taste preferences. A woman may begin to like foods or smells that she was previously indifferent to. And, conversely, previously favorite aromas or foods will begin to irritate.

Doctors recommend that all women in labor undergo a mandatory examination by a gynecologist 10-12 days after birth, so that the doctor can check whether the early postpartum recovery stage has been sufficiently completed. This will also help to timely identify possible postpartum complications and take measures to eliminate them.

A woman's body after childbirth

Postpartum changes in the female body can be called global. In essence, this is an organism that works according to new rules, and at the same time weakened by the birth ordeal. Changes “visible” to the eye that cause a woman discomfort, and she feels “inferior” and ugly:

  • Stretch marks on the abdomen;
  • Weakened, flabby abdominal and leg muscles;
  • “Bad” teeth, hair loss, brittle nails;
  • Decreased or absent libido.


Recovery after childbirthIn addition to these obvious problems, there are many more disorders hidden inside a weakened body.
Low immune defense - a woman becomes vulnerable to viral diseases and colds. In the first months after childbirth, there is a high probability of inflammatory diseases of the reproductive system. Advertisement

In addition to physiological problems, a woman experiences emotional “burnout,” and postpartum depression . In especially severe cases, postpartum fever or psychosis occurs. This is a direct indication for hospitalization and drug treatment. In mild cases, with the support of relatives, using the recommendations of psychologists and trainers specializing in gymnastics after childbirth, a woman can cope with difficulties without the use of medications.

The “culprit” of most disorders is hormonal levels, which change during pregnancy and are forced to readjust again after childbirth. “Attunement” to lactation and breastfeeding occurs in a woman almost instantly, immediately after childbirth. During feeding, the uterus, thanks to the production of oxytocin by the body, gradually returns to normal.

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