Postnatal (Latin for 'after birth') is the period beginning immediately after the birth of a child and extending for about six weeks. The period is also known as postpartum and, less commonly, puerperium. Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a human pregnancy with the emergence of a newborn infant from its mothers uterus. ...

Biologically, it is the time after birth, a time in which the mother's body, including hormone levels and womb size, return to prepregnancy conditions. During the first stages of this period, the newborn also starts her or his adaptation to extrauterine life, the most significant physiological transition until death. Biology is the branch of science dealing with the study of life. ... A hormone (from Greek horman - to set in motion) is a chemical messenger from one cell (or group of cells) to another. ... Female internal reproductive anatomy The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ... A human infant The word Infant derives from the Latin in-fans, meaning unable to speak. ... At the end of pregnancy, the fetus must take the journey of childbirth to leave the reproductive female mother. ... Death is the cessation of physical life in a living organism, or the state of the organism after that event. ...

A woman in the Western world may leave the hospital as early as 6 hours postpartum, though the average for spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) is 1-2 days, and the average caesarean section postnatal stay is 3-4 days. During this time, assessment of bleeding, bowel and bladder function, and baby care happens. A physician visiting the sick in a hospital. ... A caesarean section (cesarean section AE), or C-section, is a form of childbirth in which a surgical incision is made through a mothers abdomen (laparotomy) and uterus (hysterotomy) to deliver one or more babies. ... Bleeding is the loss of blood from the body. ... The intestine is the portion of the alimentary canal extending from the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine. ... A bladder is a pouch or other flexible enclosure with waterproof or gasproof walls. ...

The mother is assessed for tears, and given an episiotomy if necessary. Also, she may suffer from constipation or hemorrhoids, both of which would be managed, since many report these conditions to be unpleasant. The bladder is also assessed for infection, retention and any problems in the muscles. Medio-lateral episiotomy as baby crowns. ... Constipation is a condition of the digestive system where a person (or other animal) experiences hard feces that is difficult to eliminate; it may be extremely painful, and in extreme cases (fecal impaction) lead to symptoms of bowel obstruction. ... Hemorrhoids (also known as haemorrhoids or piles) are varicosities or swelling and inflammation of veins in the rectum and anus. ... An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. ... A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle is the contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. ...

The major focus of postpartum care is ensuring that the woman is healthy and capable of taking care of her newborn, equipped with all the information she needs about breastfeeding, reproductive health, contraception, and the imminent life adjustment. A breastfeeding infant Kittens nursing. ...

[[Postpartum depression] is very common, with approximately 85% of women suffering from it, potentially as early as 24 hours postpartum. It is usually limited in duration, lasting 36 to 48 hours. Treatment may be required if it lasts longer than 72 hours [1], or is associated with lack of interest in the infant, suicidal or homicidal thoughts, hallucinations, or psychotic behaviour. Approximately 10-20% of women will suffer the symptoms of major depression, and should be treated accordingly. Postpartum depression can be the response to the hormonal changes and life adjustment the woman goes through immediately after childbirth. A human infant The word infant derives from the Latin word in-fans, meaning unable to speak. It is commonly used as a slightly more formal word for baby (the youngest category of child). ... It has been suggested that Suicide and culture be merged into this article or section. ... Homicide is the killing of another human being by one or more others. ... A hallucination is a sensory perception experienced in the absence of an external stimulus, as distinct from an illusion, which is a misperception of an external stimulus. ... Psychosis is a psychiatric classification for a mental state in which the perception of reality is distorted. ... It is common to feel sad, discouraged , or down once in a while, and anyone in this state might say they are suffering from depression. ... Hormone is also the NATO reporting name for the Soviet/Russian Kamov Ka-25 military helicopter. ...

Other medical conditions may occur postnatally, such as:

• Postnatal Psychosis - a more severe form of postnatal depression
• Sheehan Syndrome

In scientific literature the term is commonly abbreviated to PX. So that 'day P5' should be read as 'the fifth day after birth'. Sheehan syndrome, also known as Simmonds disease, postpartum hypopituitarism or postpartum pituitary necrosis is hypopituitarism (decreased functioning of the pituitary gland), caused by necrosis due to blood loss and hypovolemic shock during and after childbirth. ...

'Postnatal' can also be used to describe the period of adjustment in the mother's daily life caused by the birth of a child.

See also

• childbirth
• prenatal

Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a human pregnancy with the emergence of a newborn infant from its mothers uterus. ... Prenatal means before birth (is widely used in biology). ...

External links

• Merck Manual: Postpartum Care