The fourth trimester: why we need to focus on postpartum care

Childbirth is a time of mixed and heightened emotions. There is radiant happiness at the birth of a healthy child, but there are also other emotions that new mothers may experience due to changes in the body, the need to recover and the many responsibilities that come along.

The postpartum phase, which medical professionals refer to as the puerperium, begins after delivery and lasts for six weeks. These 42 days bring about significant bodily transformations as the mother’s body returns to a non-pregnant state. This period is part of the 12 weeks following birth, sometimes referred to as the ‘fourth trimester’, a period during which mother recovers, and the baby adapts to life outside the womb. The process of recovery consists of three components: physical healing, emotional restoration and psychological recovery. What is not very well known or not often discussed, however, is that postpartum morbidity, which is physical or mental health complications that take place in the six weeks after birth, occurs in up to 80% of women. Common conditions include anaemia and infections along with mental health issues and pelvic floor disorders.