Painful intercourse after delivery is far more common than most women realise, and many quietly accept it as “the new normal”. It doesn’t have to be. In this video, Dr. Ashutosh Shah explains why intimacy can feel different after childbirth and how comfort can be restored.
Why Painful Intercourse After Delivery Happens
- Episiotomy or tear scars: scar tissue can feel tight, sensitive or painful
- A repair that healed too tight: stitches can sometimes narrow the vaginal opening
- Dryness: low estrogen while breastfeeding makes the tissue thinner and drier
- Pelvic floor tension: muscles can stay tight and guarded after birth
- Fear of pain: anxiety can make the muscles tense even more
What’s Normal and What Isn’t
Some discomfort in the first few weeks after resuming intimacy is normal. Most doctors advise waiting about six weeks after delivery. But if painful intercourse after delivery continues beyond a few months, keeps getting worse, or comes with bleeding, it’s time to see a doctor.
Treatment Options
- Lubricants and vaginal moisturisers for mild dryness
- Prescribed local treatments for hormonal dryness
- Pelvic floor physiotherapy to release tight muscles
- Scar treatment: laser, PRP or minor scar revision for painful episiotomy scars
- Counselling, if fear of pain has become part of the problem
Treatment for painful intercourse after delivery depends on the cause, which is why an examination always comes first.
Painful Intercourse After Delivery: Treatment in Surat
Dr. Ashutosh Shah treats painful intercourse after delivery with private, judgement-free consultations at Elegance Clinic’s Adajan and Vesu centres, to find the cause and the right treatment.
