Post-Cesarean Rehab by Dr. Hailey Jackson

Post-Cesarean Rehab 

Is your pelvic floor spared if you give birth via cesarean rather than vaginally? 

In short, not quite. Though different symptoms present, there are still pelvic floor related symptoms post cesarean nonetheless. While it most commonly occurs post vaginal birth, stress urinary incontinence can still occur post cesarean. However, symptoms like pain with intercourse, urinary urgency and frequency, low back pain, hip pain, and pelvic pain occur more commonly post cesarean birth due to pelvic floor overactivity (not weakness) resulting from the surgery. 

Other things like core weakness present post cesarean because of the nature of the surgery. This is a major abdominal surgery where 7 layers of tissues are cut or separated, one being the rectus abdominus, a major player when it comes to core musculature. Like any other major surgery (knee replacements, shoulder surgery) rehab following the surgery is extremely beneficial. Not only can rehab mitigate symptoms like pain with intercourse and hip pain, but it can also help with numbness, nerve pain, and scar tissue on the lower abdomen as a result of the incision. 

In short, the pelvic floor is not necessarily spared following cesarean, symptoms just present differently than following vaginal birth.