Should you be afraid of cleaning the uterus - the nuances of the procedure. The procedure for vacuum cleaning of the uterus is carried out for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.

Vacuum cleaning of the uterus after childbirth is used to remove tissue for examination and treatment of the genital organs. The procedure is performed with a special device using local anesthesia or general anesthesia.

A vacuum after childbirth is prescribed as a last resort, when the remains of the placenta have not come out on their own and serious complications are possible due to the development of infections and inflammatory processes. The method reduces the likelihood of microtraumas on the cervix and uterine walls.

The main indications for cleaning the uterus with a vacuum after childbirth:

conducting a biopsy examination;
remnants of parts of the placenta, amniotic sac in the cavity and birth canal;
bleeding.

A gynecological examination 2-3 days after birth helps to determine whether the uterus is contracting. If deviations appear, an ultrasound is prescribed, which will show the presence of placental remnants and blood clots inside the cavity of the birth organs.

Vacuum cleaning is also carried out for abortion when detecting fetal malformations, cleansing after miscarriage and frozen pregnancy, and treating infertility. The effectiveness of the method is much higher than manual scraping.

What is a vacuum after childbirth? A procedure to remove blood clots and placenta debris in the uterine cavity without damaging its walls. Aspiration is not dangerous to women's health and is performed under local or general anesthesia.

Untimely vacuum aspiration of the uterine cavity after childbirth leads to the development of purulent processes, poisoning of the body with toxins, and refusal of breastfeeding. The proliferation of harmful microorganisms in the genitals leads to the development of serious postpartum diseases.

Contraindications and features of the procedure

Vacuum aspiration during childbirth is used when a woman’s health deteriorates, her body temperature rises, and uterine bleeding appears. Such signs indicate inflammation of the genital organs caused by the remnants of the placenta.

During pregnancy, in case of pathology, the placenta grows to the walls of the uterus. After the baby is born, the placenta is removed by hand, which may leave small parts inside the cavity.

Contraindications for which a uterine vacuum cannot be used after childbirth for clots:

in the presence of malformations of female organs;
diseases of the reproductive system;
infection;
violation of the integrity of the mucosa;
neoplasms such as fibroids.

If there are contraindications, the procedure will lead to a deterioration in the health of the mother in labor. In this case, surgical treatment methods are used.

Features of the vacuum method:

Cleaning after childbirth is carried out on 2-3 days. This time is enough for the body to get rid of the placenta on its own. If this does not happen, surgery is performed;
the procedure takes no more than half an hour;
If blood clotting is poor, a woman may experience severe bleeding. In this case, oxytocin is administered before the manipulation.

Gynecologists prohibit pregnancy within a month after aspiration. This is due to the high probability of developing pathologies such as improper formation of the placenta and miscarriage.

Technique of the procedure

Before aspiration, the woman is prescribed diagnostic procedures. This determines the state of health, excludes infectious diseases and uterine pathology.

Necessary tests:

Ultrasound of the genital organs;
blood and urine tests;
vaginal smear for oncocytology;
blood clotting test;

Vacuum cleaning is carried out in two ways: manual and machine. In the first case, the doctor uses a special syringe that sucks out the remaining tissue from the cavity. With the hardware method, a medical pump is used.

Is it painful to do vacuum cleaning after childbirth? The aspiration procedure itself is painless, as anesthesia is used. Unpleasant sensations arise during the preparation and opening of the uterus with the help of a dilator.

How does vacuum cleaning of the uterus work after childbirth:

genitals are disinfected with iodine and ethyl alcohol;
using dilators, the cervix is opened;
local anesthesia is used. If necessary, general anesthesia is used;
a gynecological speculum is inserted into the vagina to help carry out manipulations;
A special pump is introduced into the cavity, which creates negative pressure and the clots are cleaned after childbirth with a vacuum into the aspiration tube.

The operation performed allows you to remove parts of the placenta, blood clots, and obtain material for laboratory testing. The body recovers quite quickly after the procedure, since the method avoids damage inside the genital organs.

To restore reproductive function, a course of antibiotics is prescribed. The uterine cavity is treated with medicinal herbs and decoctions in the absence of allergies. Antispasmodics that affect uterine contraction should be used with caution.

Rehabilitation

After cleaning the uterus, the woman is under the supervision of a doctor to exclude the occurrence of complications. To restore the body, drug treatment is prescribed.

The following methods are used:

antibacterial drugs intramuscularly and intravenously;
medicines for uterine contractions;
hygienic treatment of the genitals with antiseptic agents for 7 days.

The woman observes discharge after vacuum aspiration in the first days of the procedure. The heaviest bleeding occurs at 2-3 hours. Within a week, the color and smell of the discharge changes to normal.

If there is bleeding, tampons should not be used; it is recommended to use postpartum pads. It is forbidden to subject the body to physical stress to avoid increased discharge after vacuum cleaning during childbirth. It is not recommended to lift anything heavier than a baby.

During the rehabilitation of the body, nagging pain may occur in the abdominal area. This is due to the fact that the uterus contracts and returns to its original place. After the procedure, you should not take hot baths or visit the sauna.

To maintain lactation, it is necessary to express milk. It is not allowed to breastfeed while taking restorative medications, since the active substances pass through the blood to the baby.

You should abstain from sexual relations for a month. Doctors warn against conceiving a child in the first 6-12 months, as miscarriage is possible. It is recommended to plan pregnancy after 6-8 months, when the body and reproductive system have returned to normal.

Complications

Cleaning the uterine cavity is considered a complex operation in gynecology and can cause complications. In the first week after manipulation, a woman needs to monitor her well-being.

What symptoms should alert a woman in labor:

increased body temperature above 39.9 degrees;
change in the quality of discharge, the appearance of a putrid odor;
severe bleeding when the postpartum pad is not enough for 2-3 hours;
complete cessation of discharge within 2-3 days;
severe nagging pain in the abdominal area;
dizziness, chills, loss of consciousness.

To exclude inflammatory processes, an ultrasound and vaginal smear are done. A course of antibiotics is required to help the body recover.

Common consequences of vacuum cleaning after childbirth:

great blood loss. Often, if the bleeding is not stopped in time, this leads to complete removal of the organ;
failure to normalize the menstrual cycle. Normally, the cycle is restored on days 42-45, when breastfeeding - after the cessation of lactation;
infection, the occurrence of inflammatory processes;
the appearance of adhesions;
fusion of tissues inside the uterus;
miscarriage of subsequent pregnancies, rejection of the fertilized egg by the body;
greater likelihood of infertility in the future.

Vacuum cleaning practically does not cause mechanical damage inside the uterus, but cannot protect a woman from developing possible complications. Early termination of discharge indicates that blood clots remain in the cavity.

Injury to the walls of the cervix leads to isthmic-cervical insufficiency, which causes miscarriages in early pregnancy. Adhesions cause problems conceiving a child.

Abortion and cleansing after pregnancy

To terminate an unwanted pregnancy, a vacuum is used no later than 5 weeks. The technique allows you to reduce the risk of infertility during subsequent conception. Abortion is not accompanied by complications or hormonal imbalance.

The shorter the pregnancy, the easier the manipulations are. During the operation, a tube and pump are inserted into the uterus to create back pressure. A gynecological syringe sucks up the contents of the cavity and, together with the fertilized egg, brings it out.

During the operation, a tube is inserted into the cavity, connected to a pump that creates back pressure. This allows the contents of the uterine cavity to be sucked into a special “syringe” along with the fertilized egg.

Vacuum is often used during frozen pregnancy. In this case, abortion is mandatory in order to avoid the development of the inflammatory process and decomposition of the fertilized egg in the uterus. Sepsis, or blood poisoning, is fatal.

A miscarriage is the rejection of the fetus by the body for up to 20 weeks. The loss of an embryo may be accompanied by bleeding and abdominal pain. Aspiration is carried out when parts of the fertilized egg remain in the cavity. In case of severe bleeding, cleaning is done without prior preparation. The procedure is carried out using anesthesia. During rehabilitation, it is possible to take painkillers.

Vacuum cleaning during the postpartum period is effective when parts of the placenta remain in the uterine cavity or blood clots have formed. The procedure helps to avoid the development of infections and inflammatory processes. Rehabilitation takes about two weeks, which allows you to maintain lactation for further feeding of the baby.

In this article:

Cleaning the uterus is a gynecological procedure that can be both therapeutic and diagnostic. There are many indications for this procedure. We will look at the reasons why this operation may be required in the postpartum period.

Indications

According to the rules, a woman remains in a maternity hospital under the supervision of doctors for five days after the birth of her baby. During this period, the gynecologist assesses her general condition, determining the following:

body temperature;
discharge from the uterus;
condition of the seams;
condition of the birth canal;
general well-being of the woman.

On the second or third day, the woman is necessarily sent for an ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs. And if the examination shows the presence of placental particles, membranes or abundant blood clots in the uterus, then these are direct indications for cleaning the uterus. More specifically, these complications are associated with strong fusion of the placenta with the uterus, which did not allow the tissues to come out freely in the second phase of labor.

Some women actively resist this procedure, forgetting that the presence of foreign tissue in the uterus is a breeding ground for microorganisms. Their active reproduction can cause purulent inflammatory processes that cannot be cured while the foreign body is in the uterus. In addition, the presence of organic residues significantly reduces the contractility of the uterus, and this, in turn, is a direct path to infection and the development of serious postpartum complications.

Operation stages

Cleaning the uterus occurs under general anesthesia. Technically, this procedure is similar to curettage of the uterus after an unwanted pregnancy. Let's consider the stages of the operation:

Before the procedure, a woman’s genitals are examined and treated with antiseptics – ethyl alcohol and iodine.
Slow mechanical dilatation of the cervix using dilators of different diameters.
Curettage of the upper layer of the uterus. As a result of this procedure, all remnants of the placenta and blood clots are removed.

In addition to the usual curettage procedure, vacuum cleaning of the uterus can be used. Unlike the manual method, this method is less traumatic for the uterus and it can be performed under local anesthesia.

Postoperative period

After cleaning, the woman remains in the hospital under the supervision of doctors for several days. In the postoperative period, the patient is prescribed medication:

antibacterial therapy in the form of injections;
taking medications that stimulate uterine contractility;
treatment of the external genitalia with an antiseptic solution for at least five days.

Treatment for a woman is prescribed strictly on an individual basis in accordance with the characteristics of her body.

After cleaning, the uterus resembles an open bleeding wound. Therefore, the discharge can last up to ten days. The heaviest discharge is observed within several hours after surgery. Then they become moderate. After about six days, the discharge changes and turns brown. They disappear completely only by the tenth day. After cleaning the uterus, a woman may feel a nagging pain in the lower abdomen, which will go away as the amount of discharge decreases.

During discharge, it is strictly contraindicated for a woman:

use tampons;
douche;
Excessive physical activity, including any kind of sports, is prohibited.

After surgery, breastfeeding is also contraindicated for a woman. This is due to drug treatment that passes into mother's milk and can negatively affect the baby's health. In addition, the procedure for cleaning the uterus is very painful and at first the woman does not feel well, sometimes being unable to care for the baby. After the course of treatment, the woman can resume breastfeeding.

Complications after surgery

Cleaning the uterus after childbirth is an unsafe procedure because it can cause complications:

violation of the integrity of the walls of the uterus;
infection;
severe blood loss;
infertility;
inflammatory process in the pelvic organs;
formation of adhesions;
formation of adhesions in the uterine cavity.

Moderate discharge after surgery is normal. However, in cases where no discharge is observed after cleaning or it stops very quickly, it is worth seeking advice from a specialist. This may be due to the accumulation of large blood clots in the uterine cavity.

There is no need to be afraid of this operation. Indeed, if there are indications and this manipulation is not carried out in a timely manner, the risk of complications is much higher, including loss of the uterus. The most important thing is to choose a highly qualified practitioner who has performed dozens of such operations.

Useful video about curettage of the uterus after childbirth

Vacuum cleaning during a frozen pregnancy is an operation to remove the fertilized egg from the uterus.

Technique

The operation is carried out exclusively in stationary conditions. The operation is painful because the process removes the surface layer of the uterine lining. Therefore, when performing it, anesthesia is required.

Cleaning is usually carried out from 5 to 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Women at risk for the occurrence of:

over 30 years old;
who have already had a similar case of pregnancy;
have had more than one abortion;
with uterine abnormalities;
with diseases of the endocrine system;
recovered from sexually transmitted infections.

The reasons for this pathology can be very different, from hormonal disorders to excessive physical exertion. But if pregnancy fading has already occurred, then the fetus must be extracted in any case.

Preparing for surgery

Vacuum cleaning of the uterus during a frozen pregnancy is carried out on an empty stomach, after at least eight hours of fasting. Before the operation, the woman is examined by a gynecologist to make sure there are no possible contraindications, and by an anesthesiologist to determine the anesthesia.

After examining the patient, doctors decide to perform surgery. In cases of genital infections, inflammation of the pelvic organs, or damage to the uterine mucosa, the cleansing will have to be canceled.

Before the operation, the woman will have to pass:

blood and urine tests;
hCG level study;
smear to detect infections;
blood test for group and Rh factor;
bacteriological culture;
blood to determine coagulability (coagulogram);

After the studies, the patient must sign consent for the operation.

Two weeks before the cleansing, the woman should stop taking all medications that may affect blood clotting. If the operation is planned for the near future, then at least 2 days before it you need to:

avoid using intimate hygiene products;
suspend sexual activity;
stop douching;
stop using medications.

Operation

Vacuum cleaning of the uterus during a frozen pregnancy can be carried out using two methods:

Manual. This technique uses a syringe, which the doctor uses to suck out the contents of the uterus.
Machine. To carry out this operation, a special pump is used.

In both types of procedures, the woman is given anesthesia, after which the genitals are treated with an antiseptic. The doctor then inserts a speculum into the vagina and, if necessary, administers a second injection of anesthesia into the cervix.

Using a special device, the distance to the uterus is measured. If the cervix is not dilated enough, a dilator is used. Only after this is a tube inserted, which sucks in tissue and cleanses the uterine cavity. Then the patient is injected with drugs that shrink the endometrium. The duration of the entire procedure does not exceed 15 minutes.

As a rule, doctors prefer general anesthesia because with it the patient will not feel anything.

But the disadvantage of such anesthesia is the long recovery from it (at least 2 hours).

After vacuum cleaning, the embryo is sent for research to determine the causes of pregnancy failure.

Why is vacuum cleaning used?

For whatever reason, a frozen pregnancy occurs, the uterus needs timely cleaning. Otherwise, sepsis may develop or the process of intoxication will begin.

Vacuum cleaning of the uterus during a frozen pregnancy is the best option. It is carried out under the supervision of a doctor who controls the process and makes sure that no parts of the embryo remain in the uterine cavity.

Another type of cleaning is scraping. To carry it out, a curette is used, with which the doctor scrapes off the fertilized egg. When curettage, it is necessary to undergo general anesthesia, since the procedure is considered very painful. After the operation, the woman recovers from anesthesia within several hours.

In the case of curettage, complications may arise in the form of remnants of fetal parts or perforation of the uterine wall. And then in any case you will have to carry out vacuum cleaning.

Postoperative period

After vacuum cleaning, a woman should monitor her health in order to promptly notice suspicious symptoms of such consequences of the operation as:

too with a possible unpleasant odor. To prevent complications and notice this symptom in time, you need to temporarily stop using tampons and give preference to pads;
inflammation resulting from incomplete extraction of the embryo or due to damage to the walls of the uterus at the time of curettage;
cramps in the lower abdomen. Painkillers will help muffle these symptoms;
adhesions;
perforation of the uterine wall. This postoperative complication requires immediate surgical intervention. Most often it occurs as a result of curettage.

After surgery, there may be a weakening of the cervix, infection due to the patient's lack of hygiene, hormonal imbalances, uterine bleeding (as a result of damage to fibroids), or damage to the cervix with an instrument. The work of an inexperienced doctor can also lead to adverse consequences. But it is important to remember that a frozen pregnancy that is not detected and treated in time can cause much more dangerous complications.

Body temperature in the first few days after surgery may be slightly elevated, but not more than 37.5. If this condition lasts more than 3 days or the temperature begins to rise, you should inform your doctor as soon as possible.

Menstruation after the operation decreases, after 7 days it becomes more scanty and spotty. Cleaning the uterus also affects the regularity of the cycle; the delay at first can be 2-3 months. But if such changes occur, you should definitely see a doctor.

After curettage or vacuum cleaning for 14 days, a woman should regularly monitor her body temperature and discharge.

After this period, it is necessary to undergo an ultrasound examination of the uterus to determine the presence of parts of the fertilized egg. The complex of postoperative procedures also includes blood tests for hormone levels, a vaginal smear, and histology of the uterine epithelium. If necessary, a woman should visit a psychotherapist who will help her cope with depression.

During the entire rehabilitation period, a woman should take vitamins, antibiotics recommended by a doctor to prevent inflammatory processes, and hormonal medications. You will have to stop having sex for a month. It’s better to continue it only after the end of the first menstruation

You can plan a new pregnancy after curettage or vacuum cleaning only after six months. Otherwise, history may repeat itself.

If it happens that pregnancy occurs before the expiration of the prophylactic period, then the main task of doctors will be to preserve it. Since any abortion in the early stages can become a serious cause of further miscarriage, as well as cause serious trauma to the woman’s psyche.

Prevention of frozen pregnancy

To avoid a frozen pregnancy or prevent its recurrence, you must follow the following rules:

You need to regularly (at least once every six months) visit a gynecologist, endocrinologist and, possibly, a geneticist.
Under no circumstances should sexually transmitted infections, even the mildest ones, be left untreated. Their presence can lead to fetal pathologies and possible death.
During

For diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, uterine cleaning may be prescribed. During the procedure, the inner layer of the endometrium in the cavity of the reproductive organ is removed using a vacuum system or special gynecological instruments. The first method is considered more gentle, and cleaning with this method requires a special vacuum pump, as well as aspiration tips.

Aspiration or vacuum cleaning is considered a simple and highly effective procedure, during which negative pressure is created to remove negative particles from the organ. The procedure can be performed under general or local anesthesia. Vacuum cleaning can often be used after birth to remove any remaining placenta. How is cleaning carried out? What are the indications and contraindications for vacuum cleaning of the uterus? Could there be any complications after the procedure?

Advantages of the method and procedure progress

Among the main advantages of vacuum cleaning of the uterus are the following:

minimal risk of injury to the cervix of the reproductive organ;
the operation is characterized by simplicity and short duration of time; it can be carried out in laboratory conditions;
in case of termination of pregnancy using this method in the early stages, hormonal changes in the body can be reduced;
Menstruation begins within 40-43 days after cleansing the uterus.

If there is a frozen pregnancy, a mandatory termination is required to prevent poisoning of the female body with toxins and to eliminate inflammatory processes, which are caused by fetal disintegration. Vacuum cleaning has proven highly effective in such cases.

Cleaning the uterus using this method can be carried out in two ways: manual (manual) and hardware. In practice, the first version of the reproductive organ in women is more often used, which includes the following stages:

treatment of the external genitalia with a disinfectant solution;
insertion of a special speculum into the vagina;
preparing the cervix for cleaning;
measuring the distance to the uterine cavity using a special probe;
insertion of a suction tube;
the doctor rotates the tube, eliminating tissue debris from the inner shell, or takes the required material for diagnostics.

Indications and contraindications for

Today, cleaning the uterus using a vacuum makes it possible to identify and treat many gynecological diseases in women. Removing the upper layer of the uterine mucosa is the main purpose of cleaning the organ using a vacuum method.

General indications for vacuum cleaning are as follows:

diagnosis of biocenosis in the cavity of the reproductive organ;
pathological changes in pregnancy, poor development (up to 12 weeks);
spontaneous miscarriage (the remains of the embryo did not completely come out);
threat of miscarriage;
complete non-development of the embryo, absence of its tissue (formation of blisters with fluid in the uterus);
if part or all of the placenta remains in the uterus after natural labor or cesarean section;
termination of pregnancy (first 3 months of pregnancy); heavy bleeding from the uterus.

If the cases listed below occur, the procedure is contraindicated:

diseases of the reproductive organs;
presence of ectopic pregnancy;
benign or malignant neoplasms in the cavity of the reproductive organ;
pregnancy more than five weeks;
malformations of the uterus (bifurcation, complete or incomplete septum, etc.) less than six months after the abortion.

Possible complications

In most cases, women tolerate the procedure of vacuum cleaning of the uterus well. Unpleasant consequences are rare. Therefore, the method is safe and highly effective.

In rare cases, the following unpleasant manifestations may occur:

hormonal imbalances;
incomplete abortion, when the fetus (entirely or part of it) remains intact, pregnancy continues;
pain in the lower abdomen (painkillers will help);
inflammation of the genital organs (this is indicated by discharge that has an unpleasant odor);
the occurrence of defects in the cavity or cervix;
air embolism (blockage of blood vessels with air) with a fatal outcome. Today this happens in isolated cases, because doctors very carefully carry out manipulations in the uterine cavity.

To avoid possible complications after the procedure of vacuum cleaning of the uterus, you need to do an ultrasound to confirm the complete removal of tissue debris from the uterine cavity. If in doubt, you can consult another doctor.

You should consult a doctor as soon as possible if you have the following symptoms:

the temperature does not stay above 38° for a long time;
the discharge with blood is very strong (you need to change the pad more often than every 2 hours);
spotting is accompanied by an unpleasant odor and does not stop for more than two weeks; the pain in the lower abdomen does not go away even when taking strong painkillers.

Any delay, even with one symptom, is very dangerous. It's not worth risking your health. Only a doctor can determine the cause of the symptoms and take corrective measures.

Note that vacuum manipulations can be prescribed for different purposes in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases of the reproductive organ of various types. There are also other methods, but today this procedure is the most effective and gentle method for the female body. The procedure has been so improved that negative consequences may occur in isolated cases. To eliminate the possibility of complications after vacuum cleaning, you need to carefully listen to any signals from the body. If even the slightest deviation occurs, you need to quickly consult your doctor.