Postpartum Vaginal Dryness – Treatment Options

Vaginal Dryness is due to the lowered production of estrogen hormone in a woman. This typically happens during the peri-menopausal stage or after the woman has reached menopause state. In some women (actually in many women), vaginal dryness is seen after delivering the baby. As per a study, this number stands at 43%. If you have a dry vagina after delivering a baby, you are not alone.

When the vagina is dry, penetrative sex becomes painful and you may have to use water based artificial lubrication or creams for vaginal dryness. Why does vagina become dry postpartum?

Decreased production of hormones

Estrogen and Progesterone are two main hormones that a woman’s body produce (in her ovaries). They are responsible for triggering puberty including development of reproductive organs including breasts and regulating menstrual cycle.

As these hormones are produced, they help in building up of the inner lining of the uterus, the endometrium. If the egg that is released in the middle of the menstrual cycle is not fertilized by a sperm, the production of hormones goes down, resulting in shedding of the endometrial layer during periods. This cycle repeats until the egg is fertilized.

Once the egg is fertilized, the production of hormones doesn’t slow down, it just keeps going up and the endometrial layer turns into placenta that support’s baby’s growth and development. Within 24 hours of delivery, the production of estrogen and progesterone is lowered to normal levels by the body and that result in a sudden drop in the levels, leaving the vagina dry. Estrogen is an important hormone that is also produced when a woman is aroused. This results in vaginal lubrication to allow smoother penetration. Lack of estrogen does not only keep the vagina dry but also shows other (menopause type) symptoms such as night sweats, hot flashes etc.

Estrogen supplements are one of the available solutions but one must take her doctor’s advice before taking them. Some doctors and women don’t prefer to take hormone supplements due to the fact that they will be at risk of developing cancer or blood clots after a period of time.

Postpartum Vaginal Dryness – Treatment Options

Altered production of thyroid hormones

Postpartum Thyroiditis is a condition when the thyroid gland is inflamed in a woman after delivery. Thyroid, just like all other organs in the body is an important organ that regulates metabolism along with other bodily functions. The inflamed thyroid gland may produce too much of hormones or too little that can result in any or most of the following symptoms:

Fatigue
Weight gain
Difficulty Sleeping
Palpitations and Shakiness
Sensitivity to cold
Depression

One should note that, the thyroid should itself right within 2 years after delivery. If your thyroid levels are not within normal levels, your gynecologist may put you onto beta blockers if the thyroid gland is hyperactive or you may be put on artificial thyroid hormones if it is under performing.

You can also look for natural supplements that can help relieve stress and boost thyroid gland’s performance but following your doctor’s prescription is the best thing to do.

What happens when your vagina becomes dry?

Resuming normal sexual activity with your partner becomes difficult and painful. Also, due to lowered estrogen production, you may not be as much interested in getting intimate with your partner.

This can hurt your relationship with your partner and also lead to a stressful relationship, further lowering your interest in sex. While that is the impact on your mentally, trying to have penetrative sex with a dry vagina can often lead to pain and in some cases, the vaginal walls may bleed or get inflamed.

Treating vaginal dryness with over the counter options

If you realize that your vagina isn’t getting as much wet as required, you can try over the counter jellys, creams or water based lubricants that you can use to keep the vagina dry. Drinking more water can help keep your skin more soft and hydrated. Avoid douching and using harmful chemicals to clean your vagina. Warm water with mild soap should be good enough to keep vagina clean. A little bit of foreplay can also help you get aroused before getting into the actual act.

You can also see a good gynecologist near you, who can check your hormone levels and put you onto right prescription accordingly. If you are not willing to go for hormone based therapy to treat dry vagina, there are other options in cosmetic gynecology to address the problem.

Cosmetic gynecology procedures to treat dry vagina

With advancement in medical science, cosmetic gynecology, a branch of mainstream of gynecology has a couple of procedures that can make your sexual life more exciting and pleasurable. Laser treatment performed as a part of vaginal rejuvenation can help reduce the symptoms of a dry vagina.

G Spot Amplification

G Spot Amplification is a quick and non-invasive procedure that can augment the G-spot in a woman. This increases the sensitivity of the area, giving more pleasure to the woman while intimate with her partner.