In plain words
Involution is the name for how your uterus returns to its usual size after birth. It starts out large, about level with the belly button, and gets smaller a little each day. Most of the change happens over the first few weeks. The uterus is usually back to its pre-pregnancy size by about six weeks. You may feel cramping, called afterpains, especially while breastfeeding, because the hormone that helps the milk let down also makes the uterus contract. You may also notice bleeding, called . Involution is often confused with the belly skin and muscle changes, which take longer. Your provider can check your uterus at a . Pain that gets worse, or bleeding that soaks a pad quickly, is worth a call the same day.
The deeper version
is the progressive reduction of myometrial mass through apoptosis and autophagy of smooth muscle cells, with remodeling and fibrinolysis, so that the uterus returns toward its non-gravid weight over about six weeks. At the , decidual necrosis and sloughing are followed by regeneration of endometrium from glandular remnants. released with suckling strengthens uterine contraction, which produces afterpains that are more pronounced in parous women and in multiple gestations. Involution is assessed by and by the character of lochia. Delayed involution, or , is associated with retained products, infection, and , and is one reason for the structured postpartum assessment described in ACOG Committee Opinion 736 (2018).
Where it comes up
- Afterpains: cramping while nursingPostpartum: Your Body
- Postpartum bleeding (lochia): what's normal, what's notPostpartum: Your Body
- Your body after birth: weight, shape, and timelinesPostpartum: Your Body
- Why postpartum food is differentNourishment and Traditions
- The six-week checkup (and why it isn't enough)Postpartum: Your Body
What mothers here say about involution
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Committee Opinion No. 736: Optimizing Postpartum Care, 2018