ACOG: After birth, visit doctor sooner and more often
by Claudia Boyd-Barrett posted in Pregnancy
Newly released guidelines for postpartum care recommend you see your doctor sooner and more often after giving birth than previously advised.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued the sweeping new guidelines Monday amid growing recognition of how important it is for women to receive care during the so-called "fourth trimester," the three months immediately following childbirth.
ACOG previously recommended getting a postpartum check-up within the first 6 weeks post-birth. Now, ACOG advises seeing your ob-gyn or other obstetric healthcare provider within 3 weeks following delivery. After that, you should continue to receive follow-up care as needed for three months, concluding with a comprehensive checkup no later than 12 weeks after birth, the recommendations state.
According to the guidelines, your follow-up care provider should assess your mood and emotional well-being, your physical recovery from childbirth, your sleep and fatigue levels, assist with managing any chronic disease problems, and provide guidance on how to care for and feed your baby.
"New mothers need ongoing care during the 'fourth trimester.' We want to replace the one-off checkup at six weeks with a period of sustained, holistic support for growing families," said Alison Stuebe, lead author of the ACOG committee that developed the new guidelines. "Our goal is for every new family to have a comprehe...
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