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Introduction

Across many cultures of the world, the 40 days after childbirth are recognized as a special time of recovery and recuperation for new mothers. During this period, traditionally referred to as the puer­perium, women will undergo a series of major transitions.

These transitions are not only anatomical and physiological but include changes in self-image, in relationships, and in a woman's place in her family and society. In many modern healthcare settings, women are discharged from care within a few days of birth and may have little contact with their maternity carers for many weeks. Yet the puerperium is a time not only of change, but of great vulnerability for women and their new babies. Women may be vulnerable to a diverse set of problems that have the potential to be very serious. For this reason, a clear understanding of both normal and abnormal recovery in the postnatal period is important for all providers of maternity care.

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Source: Arulkumaran S., Ledger W., Denny L., Doumouchtsis S. (eds.). Oxford Textbook of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Oxford University Press,2020. — 928 p.. 2020
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