Find Out the Causes of Chills After Giving Birth and How to Overcome It

Illustration - A mother after undergoing childbirth (photo: Pixabay/Sanjasy)

YOGYAKARTA - Many women experience chills and chills shortly after giving birth. This condition can occur in both normal and caesarean deliveries. So, what is the cause of shivering after giving birth?

In medicine, the body shivering after giving birth is called postpartum shivering or postpartum chills. The sensation can feel like being outside in the winter without a jacket, so the teeth rattle and the body shakes, quoted from the Baby Center page.

Shaking most often occurs one or two hours after giving birth, although it can also appear towards the end of labor.

Although it is a common condition, postpartum chills often surprise many mothers. In most cases, this condition does not need to be worried about as long as it is not accompanied by fever, because it can be one of the signs of early infection after childbirth.

Although it is very common, postpartum chills often surprise many mothers. In most cases, this condition is not dangerous and does not need to be feared. However, the medical team will still monitor certain symptoms, especially if chills are accompanied by fever, because it can be an early sign of postpartum infection.

Postpartum chills can be experienced by mothers who give birth normally without medication, but the risk is higher in mothers who undergo a caesarean section or receive pain relief drugs during childbirth, especially epidural. Research shows that about 20 percent of mothers who give birth normally without medication experience postpartum chills, while the figure increases to around 50 percent in mothers who receive an epidural or undergo a caesarean section.

Causes of Shaking After Giving Birth

Until now, the exact cause of postpartum chills is not fully known. However, experts have put forward several factors that are suspected to play a role, including:

Hormonal changes: During childbirth, the body undergoes significant hormonal changes. This condition can lower the body's core temperature and trigger chills. Cold environment: Being in a long time in a cold hospital environment can affect the body's ability to regulate temperature. Use of pain relief drugs: Pain relief drugs, especially epidural, can interfere with the body's temperature regulation mechanism by dilating blood vessels in the skin, thereby increasing heat loss. Fluid administration during childbirth: Cold-temperature infusion fluids and epidural injections can increase body heat loss.

So, how long is the duration of postpartum chills? Most postpartum chills will subside on their own within 20-30 minutes, including those related to epidural or cesarean section. It is very rare for the condition to last more than an hour, whatever the method of childbirth.

Although it cannot be completely prevented, mothers can prepare themselves by bringing warm clothes or blankets in the hospital bag to help maintain comfort while in a cold environment.

For mothers who undergo a cesarean section, doctors can give medication to help prevent shivering during and after the procedure. If a cesarean section is scheduled, try to stay warm and comfortable before the action. The operating room staff can usually also provide a warm blanket in the shoulder and chest area before the operation begins.

How to Overcome Body Shaking After Giving Birth

For more comfort, here are some things you can do to overcome the body shivering after giving birth:

Use a blanket to add warmth Use an oxygen mask if you have trouble breathing because you keep shivering Take pain relievers prescribed by your doctor. Wear thick clothes. Monitor temperature, pulse, and other vital signs

This is information about the cause of body chills after giving birth. Hopefully this article can add to the reader's insight. To get other interesting news updates, visit the VOI.id page.