How long after giving birth can a woman have sex?

The ideal time for couples to have sex is 4-6 weeks after vaginal birth.

According to Dr. Duong Viet Bac, Obstetrics and Gynecology Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, after normal birth, a woman's uterus needs time to return to its original size. In addition, most cases of normal birth require an episiotomy, which requires recovery time. Couples can resume sexual intercourse after 6 weeks.

Having sex too soon after giving birth can cause vaginal damage, slow healing of the perineal incision, gynecological infections, and affect women's psychology...

Postpartum hormonal disorders cause women to face vaginal dryness, poor elasticity, painful intercourse, bleeding, decreased libido, or inflammation causing itching, discomfort... Many women are afraid of being intimate with their husbands because of these problems.

Besides, problems related to the pelvic area, body flexibility, women's psychology... also affect emotions and the level of excitement of "making love".

After 4-6 weeks, women can have sex again. Photo: Freepik — After 4-6 weeks of giving birth, women can have sex again. Photo: *Freepik*

To ensure safe sex after giving birth, Viet Bac doctors advise women to have a postpartum health check-up to ensure that the genitals have fully recovered and the perineal incision has healed. When having sex for the first time after giving birth, couples should be gentle and slow to allow the body to adapt.

In addition, women can consult a doctor to practice Kegel exercises to help restore pelvic floor muscles, prevent urinary incontinence, and restore the vagina. Women should pay attention to cleaning the genital area before and after sex to avoid infection.

Experts recommend that couples use active contraception to prevent pregnancy from occurring again too soon. Research shows that if you do not breastfeed, your period will return after about 6 weeks. If you breastfeed, your period will take longer to return, about 4-6 months after giving birth. In fact, about 1/4 of women who use this method of contraception correctly experience amenorrhea.

Thanh Thuy

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